High school football: Kellen Price steps in at QB and Cloverleaf doesn't miss a beat

The Cloverleaf football team found itself shorthanded at Carrollton on Friday night, but the Price was still right. Without starting quarterback Isaac Smith, who left last week's loss to Keystone after the first quarter, and backup Zayne Trent, the Colts turned to senior running back Kellen Price to play quarterback and lead a 14-7 non-league victory. Price, who played QB in youth and middle school, powered the running game with 159 yards on 23 carries and scored both Cloverleaf touchdowns. He also had 89 yards on 7-for-12 passing. After Price put the Colts ahead 14-7 on a 36-yard scramble, the Warriors (1-2) had one last ditch effort in them. Quarterback Ja'Seon Gerber and running back Ryan Barnett moved Carrollton to the Cloverleaf 35-yard line, but Gerber tried to go deep for receiver Jaden Murphy and Price jumped in front to pick off the pass, allowing the Colts to run out the clock. In addition to Smith and Trent, Cloverleaf was without running back/linebacker Elliott Jordan and saw tight end/linebacker Brayden Beier leave in the second half. None of that mattered, as the Colts delivered an excellent defensive effort and just enough offensive production out of Price and Co. to start the season 2-1 for the fifth straight season. Carrollton took the opening kick and moved the ball to the Cloverleaf 38 before Price broke up a pass intended for Kaden Orr on third down. Gerber's throw to John Bajornas was incomplete on fourth down. The Colts responded with a meticulous 62-yard drive that ended with Price plunging into the end zone from a yard. Cloverleaf moved the ball well on its next three drives but missed two 32-yard field goals — one was blocked — and had a turnover on downs from the Warriors 11. The Colts' defense was even more effective, forcing four straight punts in which Carrollton never threatened the red zone after the initial turnover on downs. That all changed after Cloverleaf's second drive of the third quarter. The Warriors stuffed Price on a fourth-down run and, on the next play, Gerber ran for a 40-yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7. Gerber went 10-of-19 for 63 yards and one interception and also ran 19 times for 87 yards. Price and the Colts immediately answered the score with an 80-yard drive that ended in the 36-yard scramble by Price to put Cloverleaf ahead for good. In addition to Price, Chris Gilliland rushed 15 times for 98 yards and Ashton Gray 10 for 46. Jimmy Tolley caught five of Price's seven completions for 61 yards. The Colts open conference play next week against a brand new Metro Athletic Conference rival Cuyahoga Falls, which came in from the Suburban League American Conference. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Cloverleaf 14, Carrollton 7 CLOVERLEAF 7 0 0 7 — 14 CARROLLTON 0 0 7 0 — 7 First Cl — Kellen Price 1 run (Austin Sustersic kick). Third Ca — Ja'seon Gerber 40 run (Paycen Havens kick). Fourth Cl — Price 36 run (Sustersic kick). &emsp;&emsp;Cl Ca First downs 14 10 Rushing 52/287 25/113 Rushing average 5.5 4.5 Passing &emsp;&emsp;7/12 10/19 Passing yards 89 63 Total offense 64/376 44/176 Punting 2/42.5 4/47.5 Penalties&emsp;&emsp;9/60 2/20 Fumbles &emsp;&emsp;1/0 0/0 RUSHING: Cloverleaf — Price 23-159, Chris Gilliland 15-98, Ashton Gray 10-46, Adam Gray 1-0, Team 3-(-16). Carrollton — Gerber 19-87, Ryan Barnett 5-18, Jaden Murphy 1-8. PASSING: Cloverleaf — Kellen Price 7-12-89-0. Carrollton — Gerber 10-19-63-1. RECEIVING: Cloverleaf — Jimmy Tolley 5-61, As. Gray 2-28. Carrollton — Murphy 6-39, John Bajornas 2-15, Barnett 1-5, Nolan Dietrich 1-4. MISSED FIELD GOALS: Cloverleaf — Sustersic 32 (BLK), 32 (WL).