Oskaloosa Falls Short in Clinton Despite Strong Defensive Effort
Clinton, IA — The Oskaloosa Indians fought hard on the road but ultimately fell to Clinton in a nail-biting 26-24 loss on Friday night. The game was marked by turnovers, defensive plays, and a late special teams score that dashed Oskaloosa’s hopes for a second victory of the season.
The Indians came out swinging after an early safety by Clinton’s defense gave the home team a 2-0 lead. Oskaloosa responded quickly when Heavon Knox returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter, giving the Indians a 7-2 advantage after Arabsho Davlatshoev’s extra point.
Oskaloosa extended their lead just before halftime when quarterback Kayne Boender found Knox again, this time on a 20-yard touchdown pass with only 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Davlatshoev added the extra point, and Oskaloosa went into the locker room with a 14-2 lead.
The Indians continued to show resilience in the third quarter. After forcing a turnover, Boender connected with Knox for his third touchdown of the night—a 31-yard strike that pushed Oskaloosa’s lead to 21-2.
Clinton, however, began to mount a comeback late in the third quarter. Jaxon Spooner intercepted a Boender pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. A few minutes later, Jordan Coleman hit Jordan Gruhn with a 31-yard touchdown pass, closing the gap to 21-14 by the end of the third quarter.
Oskaloosa added a 22-yard field goal by Davlatshoev early in the fourth quarter to push their lead to 24-20. However, the momentum shifted when Clinton’s Kaden Walters returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, giving Clinton a 26-24 lead.
Oskaloosa had a final chance to reclaim the lead, but the Indians’ drive stalled, and they were unable to generate any more points as Clinton’s defense held firm.
Boender finished the game with 178 yards passing, throwing for two touchdowns but also three costly interceptions. Knox was the star of the game for Oskaloosa, accounting for all three of their touchdowns—two receiving and one on special teams.
The Indians’ defense made several big plays, with Lukas Toubekis leading the charge with 10 tackles and an interception. Oskaloosa also forced two fumbles and sacked Clinton quarterback Jordan Coleman once.
Despite their best efforts, Oskaloosa’s record falls to 1-5 on the season (0-2 in district play), while Clinton improves to 2-4 (1-1 in district play).
