Summary
After defeating the UCLan Rams on the road last week, the Clansmen returned to Sighthill to face the Napier Knights for the third time this season.
Stirling Clansmen – 14
Napier Knights – 33
After defeating the UCLan Rams on the road last week, the Clansmen returned to Sighthill to face the Napier Knights for the third time this season. Despite Stirling’s dominance in their last two games, the Knights ended the Clansmen’s season.
First Quarter
The Knights kicked off and Stirling managed to return the ball to around midfield. The Clansmen’s offence took the field for a short run and a throw before punting the ball away.
Napier’s offence had a couple of decent runs before fumbling the snap. Luckily for them they managed to recover it, and their quarterback ran the ball down the sideline for a first down and then some. The Knights then tried to throw downfield, but it was too high for the receiver to come down with it. This was followed by another incompletion and a short run before their punt team came out.
The Clansmen got the ball back around midfield and had a decent throw and some good runs before ultimately punting on fourth down.
The Knight’s took possession at their own 20-yard line and proceeded to immediately drop another snap before recovering it for a few yards. They handed the ball off to their running back who blew through the Clansmen’s defence and took it to the house for a touchdown. Napier set up to kick an extra point before a false start flag was called. After the penalty, they changed the play to a two-point conversion which they managed to get.
Stirling’s offence returned to the field within their own redzone and made some good progress downfield, throwing for a first down and then running for another two. The Clansmen had a few more decent runs before dropping the ball and getting a penalty which pushed them back to midfield. After another decent throw, they threw downfield on fourth down but didn’t get it to end the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Napier’s next possession was a three and out after a short run and two passes that were too high to be caught.
The Clansmen’s next possession also ended swiftly as a pass downfield got intercepted by Napier.
Napier returned to midfield and dropped a pass despite the receiver being completely uncovered. They managed to catch their next pass which took them to the 25-yard line. However, their passes being too high was a reoccurring issue and the next two plays didn’t get them anywhere. The Knights went for it on fourth down, but the pass was incomplete, and the Clansmen took the field deep in their own territory.
After a short run, the Clansmen threw downfield where it was caught at the 20-yard line. Stirling’s next few plays didn’t get them far, but after a timeout they threw into the corner of the endzone where it was caught for the touchdown. The Clansmen attempted a two-point conversion to tie the game, but they didn’t manage it.
The Knights didn’t hesitate to reply, running their way into the endzone on their first play after the kick-off. They went for an extra point to extend their lead by seven points.
The Clansmen’s next drive didn’t take them far, and they punted the ball back to Napier who took possession at midfield.
The Knights managed to make some decent progress downfield, including a quarterback run for a first down. They then got a false start penalty which pushed them back ten yards, and they punted on fourth down.
Stirling took the field with 32 seconds left before halftime and didn’t get far before the end of the first half.
Second Half
The Knights managed to run for a first down before being taken down around midfield. After another pass that was too high, Napier’s quarterback took off running, and no one on the pitch or sidelines really knew who had the ball, allowing Napier to get another first down. The Knights tried passing again, and it was still high, but their receiver managed to come down with the ball before they ran another fake handoff leaving their quarterback to run again. Ultimately, the Knights went back to giving their running back the ball and watching him power down field for their third touchdown of the day. Napier went for the extra point, and the ball hit the upright and fell back out.
The Clansmen got the ball back deep in their own territory. After a run for minimal gain, and a dropped pass, Stirling threw down the middle right into Napier’s hands. The Knights wasted no time, running the ball into the endzone for a pick six. Napier again went for an extra point, but this time it was blocked by the Clansmen.
Stirling caught the kick-off and tossed to another returner who took it from the Clansmen’s 10-yard line to the endzone for a touchdown. They went for a two-point conversion and managed to run the ball in to shorten Napier’s lead.
The Knights returned to midfield, and the Clansmen’s defence – clearly revived after a special teams touchdown – did not let them get anywhere. Eventually the Knights managed to shove their way through Stirling’s defence for a first down, before throwing downfield to put themselves in the redzone. Stirling’s defence continued to dominate, stopping the run and pressuring Napier’s quarterback. They couldn’t stop Napier’s run game forever, and the Knights ultimately scored a touchdown. However, Stirling did manage to stop Napier getting the two-point conversion.
The Clansmen’s kick returners continued their hot streak, this time returning the kick-off to Napier’s 25-yard line. After some decent runs, including one for a first down, the Clansmen received an illegal shift penalty, which pushed them back to the 20. A short run and an incompletion later, the Clansmen received another penalty, this time on a play that would have been a touchdown. With the drive not quite turning out the way the Clansmen had hoped, they went for it on fourth down, where it was not caught.
Fourth Quarter
Napier took the field at the 30 and immediately dropped the snap. The Knights managed to recover it but made no progress downfield before running for a first down and more to end the third quarter. The Knights continued to make decent progress downfield, converting on third down and on a fourth and two. After running for a first down, the Knights got sacked for a loss of over five yards, and the rest of their drive got them nowhere. They ultimately went for it on fourth and long and didn’t get the first down, allowing the Clansmen to take the field in their own redzone.
The Clansmen made some decent progress before throwing into double coverage where it was intercepted. Napier managed to run for a touchdown from midfield, but Napier got a holding penalty and the score was disallowed. Stirling’s defence continued to stop Napier’s run game, leaving Napier to punt on fourth down, where Stirling returned it to midfield.
The Clansmen didn’t make much progress before a penalty pushed them back, and a dropped pass was recovered by the Knights to give Napier possession.
The Knights also didn’t make much progress, dropping a snap and a run that ended in negative yards.
The Clansmen got the ball back with less than a minute left, and after two incomplete passes to the back of the endzone in a last-ditch attempt to score, the game – and the Clansmen’s season – ended.
Image Credit: Melissa Thomson