After two seasons, Clarke Central coach David Perno had seen the program regain its footing. With back-to-back seven-win seasons and two playoff appearances, the Gladiators were back in the picture. But there was something missing.
Why, Perno wondered, couldn’t the team enjoy the same success on the road that they did at Death Valley? Clarke had gone 2-3 in regular-season road games the two previous years.
So Perno literally took the hard road. He scheduled a demanding non-region schedule, with the first three games coming on the road.
So far, so good.
The Gladiators are 2-0 after nice road wins over Winder-Barrow (22-19) and Oconee County (17-10). They’ll get another difficult test this week against Class AAA No. 9 Flowery Branch, but it’s safe to say that Perno has found a few answers.
“This has given us a good sample,” Perno said. “We’ve been more consistent, done a good job minimizing penalties and taking care of the ball. And we’re playing a little smarter.”
Perno said the team isn’t taking as many risks, although that will likely change when Isaac Ward becomes more comfortable at quarterback. He missed the spring with a broken collarbone. As he develops, Perno will feel more comfortable expanding his role.
In the meantime, the Gladiators are handing out a steady dose of running backs Jonathan Sewell and O’Brien Barnett. Sewell rushed for 1,148 yards and nine touchdowns and Barnett ran for 448 yards and eight touchdowns and had 261 receiving yards in 2017.
“When you’ve got the running backs that we’ve got, you’ve got to feed them,” Perno said. “They’re both special.”
The two runners are both considered Division I prospects. Sewell, a senior, is an explosive, dynamic runner. Barnett, a junior, is a bruiser who likes to run downhill. Sewell had 120 yards and Barnett added 96 in the opener. Sewell had 108 yards and Barnett ran for 70 yards and caught four passes for 39 yards against North Oconee.
The other piece that’s improved for Clarke Central has been the defense. Last week the Gladiators did a nice job containing Oconee County quarterback Max Johnson, who still threw for 234 yards. The front seven is physical and aggressive and the entire unit has good quickness and the ability to move from sideline to sideline.
Qua Teasley, a senior linebacker, was the team’s top tackler a year ago and had 10 in the opener. Wayne Malcolm and Edwin Summerour are returning veterans
Now Perno will see if the momentum can carry over into Friday’s game with Flowery Branch, which had been in Region 8-AAAAA until being reclassified down a division because a new school opened in the area.
“This is going to be the toughest test we’ve had,” Perno said. “Our defense is really going to get tested.”
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