The Clinton Cardinals came up just short at home Friday night, falling to the Warrensburg Tigers 28–21 in a thrilling MRVC West conference matchup. Despite a strong effort against a tough Class 4 opponent, the Cardinals couldn’t quite close the gap in the second half.
Before kickoff, Clinton honored its 18 senior players during pregame ceremonies, celebrating their dedication and leadership throughout the season. Once the game began, the Cardinals showcased a well-rounded attack, posting 188 rushing yards and 184 through the air.
Running back #9 Brody Barnhart led the ground game with 68 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns. Quarterback #4 Cam Westendorff completed 8 of 18 passes for 184 yards, connecting several times with #5 Quintin Faught, who hauled in three catches for 111 yards.
On defense, #73 Mason Shumate and #8 Jack English each tallied eight tackles, with Shumate adding two sacks and English recording one. Special teams standout #6 Connor Bramell contributed 96 yards on four kickoff returns.
Clinton set the tone early with #10 Donnie Pack intercepting a pass on Warrensburg’s opening drive. The Cardinals capitalized as #23 Payton Goth broke free for a 16-yard touchdown run. Moments later, #11 Konnor Uribe scooped up a fumbled snap and returned it 19 yards, leading to another Barnhart score from 21 yards out.
The Tigers stormed back with 21 unanswered points in the second quarter, but Clinton evened things up before halftime with a 7-yard touchdown run by Barnhart and a successful two-point conversion by #1 Markus Oliver, tying the game 21–21 at the break.
Warrensburg regained the lead in the third quarter with a touchdown, and while the Cardinals mounted a determined drive late in the game, they came up just inches short on a critical fourth down inside the 5-yard line. Both defenses clamped down in the final quarter, with the Tigers holding on for the narrow 28–21 victory.
With the loss, Clinton falls to 6–2 on the season. The Cardinals will look to regroup and close out the regular season strong when they travel to face the Center Yellowjackets next Friday, October 24th, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.
