Howard Langley could sense seniors Dashown Wilson Jr. and Edward Nunez trying too hard in the first two weeks to lead a young DeWitt Clinton team to the point it was hurting their own performances
“There were not themselves,” the coach said. “Part of it was trying to get the other guys in the right place and doing more coaching than playing. We told them you can’t do it. You have to play.”
Play and return to form that did to lead the host Governors to their first win of the season with an impressive 36-20 victory over Campus Magnet in PSAL City Conference football last Saturday. Nunez carried the ball 16 times for 234 physical yards and three scores, including two of 50 yards or more. Wilson Jr. fed off it for 84 yards of total offense, including a touchdowns threw the air and on the ground.
“We were both doing bad the last two weeks,” Wilson Jr. said. “We just had to pick it up.”
Nunez, a four-year starter, and Clinton set the tone on the opening possession. The Governors survived a fumble inside the five-yard line, and saw Nunez score from 4 yards out to complete a 13-play, 53-yard drive. It put Clinton up 6-0 with 1:59 to left in the first quarter.
A 15-scoring scamper from Wilson Jr. helped put the Governors up 14¬–0 midway threw the second quarter.
Clinton (1-2) did a fine job against the Campus Magnet offense, but struggled to contain Bryan Mariner. The senior receiver hauled in a 58-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Que Ran Mosby to make it 14-6 and answered a 31-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Deon Johnson with a 65-yard kickoff return for a score that cut the Clinton lead to 28-20 midway through the third quarter.
The Governors never panicked.
“That’s what I love about this group,” Langley said. “Although we are young, we are composed. I told them today we looked like a team.
Fittingly it was Nunez that put the game out of reach on the first place from scrimmage after Mariner’s second score. The ran through the initial tackler at the line, make one cut and took the ball 55-yards for a touchdown to help put Clinton ahead 36-20 with 3:25 to play in the third against the Bulldogs (1-2)
“Eddie was in Beast Mode today,” Langley said.
That’s because it was a game Clinton had to have if it was going to stay in the playoff race. Moving to 0-3 would have been a tough pill to swallow, but instead the Governors can try to build off a performance that showed progress.
“It’s a very important win.” Nunez said. “It’s our first of the season and first of many. We needed to start it off.”
