Redwolves Rally for Dominant Week 9 Victory

Written by:John Gilroy

Published by:John Gilroy

Photo by:John Gilroy

Clinton vs. Jefferson shaped up to be a Week 9 heavyweight matchup, and the two teams did not disappoint. Clinton came out firing, scoring two quick touchdowns to take an early 14-0 lead. The first came on a rushing touchdown by quarterback Gradyn Whelan, followed by another touchdown from his brother, Bronson Whelan.

Jefferson finally responded late in the first quarter, cutting the def

icit to 14-8. Midway through the second quarter, Jefferson found its rhythm, taking a 16-14 lead after a successful two-point conversion. It appeared Jefferson was beginning to pull away after adding another quick touchdown to extend its lead to 22-14.

Coming out of halftime, however, the Redwolves went to work. Clinton tied the game at 22-22 midway through the third quarter, then took control when running back Braxton Randolph punched it into the end zone to close out the quarter, giving the Redwolves a 30-22 lead.

Jefferson marched down the field and responded with another touchdown, but Daejaun Garrison came up with a clutch stop on the two-point conversion, allowing Clinton to maintain its lead at 30-28.

Believe it or not, Jefferson would not score again for the remainder of the game. Clinton continued to pour it on, marching down the field and extending its lead to 38-28. Not long after, Gradyn Whelan intercepted Jefferson’s quarterback and returned it all the way for a pick-six, pushing the lead to 45-28.

The Redwolves found the end zone one last time for good measure, capping off a dominant second-half performance and securing a convincing 52-28 victory.

With the playoffs just days away, this is exactly the kind of momentum a team wants heading into late October.

The Whelan Brothers Lead the Way

The story of the game was simple: remember the name Whelan.

Junior quarterback Gradyn Whelan put together an outstanding all-around performance, rushing for 135 yards, throwing for 30 yards, scoring a rushing touchdown, and adding a defensive pick-six. His younger brother, sophomore Bronson Whelan, was equally impressive, recording 106 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, along with 31 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.

After the game, I caught up with Gradyn to discuss the big win, the team's second-half turnaround, and Clinton's playoff aspirations.

I first asked Gradyn how he was feeling after such a huge victory.

“Feeling good. The boys really responded after halftime. We started the game going up 14-0, and we gave up 22 unanswered points. You usually don’t feel great going into halftime, but I’m going to be honest: I think we played terrible in the first half. Even though it was a one-score game, we played pretty bad. Coming into halftime, we took coaching, and we came out here and responded.”

I followed up by asking how important the win could be in terms of playoff points, especially after defeating a top-ranked Division 5 team. Could this victory help Clinton earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs?

“It can definitely give us the opportunity to hold more than one home game during the playoffs, but [it’s] just a confidence booster coming in here and beating up on them in the second half, just bringing it to ’em and showing them what we can do.”

Next, I asked Gradyn whether he believed Clinton could go toe-to-toe with the best teams in Division 6 and potentially compete for a state championship in November.

“I think we can go against the best in D6. I think we can go against the best, anybody. I have faith in my guys, my offensive line, my defensive line, everybody. They’re gonna do their job, and I’m going to do mine.”

With the playoffs approaching, I also wanted to know how important it would be for Clinton to establish its passing game alongside its dominant rushing attack.

“I think that it’s going to be a good complement to our run game. Like here, we came in and pounded the rock and got after ’em. During the playoffs, they see that on film, and maybe they don’t prepare for the pass that much. That’s when the passing game will be open. We can do both very well, so whatever opportunity presents itself, we’re gonna take it.”

A Team to Watch in November

Gradyn Whelan is a star in the making and a name worth watching as college recruiting news develops. His ability to make plays with his legs, contribute through the air, and make game-changing plays on defense makes him an exciting player to watch.

More importantly, his confidence in his teammates and belief in what Clinton can accomplish reflect the mindset of a team looking to make a deep playoff run.

The Redwolves have proven they can respond to adversity, make adjustments at halftime, and take control against quality competition. With the postseason just around the corner, Clinton is building momentum at exactly the right time.

If the Whelan brothers continue to perform at this level and the rest of the team keeps stepping up, the Redwolves could be a dangerous opponent for anyone standing in their way.