Miller drops week one bout against Clever

Cardinals look to Stockton Tigers game Friday at home for first victory
 
It was a long awaited return to the field Friday night for the Miller Cardinals following a 2023 season that saw the Cardinals win as many games as they won the last three years combined. Added to the fray was starting quarterback Nate Hill who made his return since a week one broken ankle against Hogan Prep a year ago. The excitement of the new season was cut short as the Cardinals fell at the hands of the Clever Bluejays.
The Bluejays, losers of their previous 21 games dating back to Sept. 22, 2021 when they defeated Agape Boarding School 26-16, were host to the Cardinals. You would have to go back to a 2020 bout with Stockton to find the last time Clever had defeated an MSHSAA sanctioned team, that was also their first win as a varsity program. The Cardinals looked to fend off being on the wrong side of history.
Miller got the ball first and looked very good moving the ball deep into Bluejay territory including a 12-yard strike from Hill to fellow senior Jarod Lung but was unable to find pay dirt as Clever came up with a big fourth down stop on the 27-yard line. The Cardinals defense responded in a big way holding Clever to a three-and-out and forcing a punt. The Cardinals offense came back onto the field in a big way as a third-and-seven was erased by a 70-yard touchdown run by Hill on a quarterback keeper to give the Cardinals a 6-0 lead. The Nate Hill scramble was the lone score in the opening quarter.
The second quarter was opened by a pair of punts by each team before Clever got one last possession before the halftime break. Miller’s defense led by Owen Demster, who had a great opening half, remained aggressive and kept Clever quarterback Rex Deters under duress the entire drive, but Deters was able to find freshman receiver Trenton Allen in the seam for six with 1:28 remaining in the second quarter. The extra point gave the Bluejays a 7-6 lead going into halftime.
Clever received the opening kickoff of the third quarter and made the most of it. On the third play of the half, Deters found senior receiver Lucas Peebles in the seam for a 65-yard touchdown reception to extend the Clever lead 15-6. After punts on the next two possessions, the Miller offense got going once again on the back of the run game. A steady dose of senior trio Caden Calvin, Owen Demster and Nate Hill got the Cardinals within striking distance before finding junior receiver Blake Walters for two big plays for 31 and 33 yards with the latter resulting in six points, However, the two-point conversion was swatted away from the Bluejays. The teams traded possessions but both resulted in punts as the Bluejays went into the final quarter leading 15-12.
The Miller defense forced a punt after a lengthy drive ended in a Bluejay punt and Miller had an opportunity to escape with a victory. However, Clever All-Conference two-way player Xavier Robinson jumped a slant up the middle for his second interception of the game. Miller needed one more stop from the defense to have a chance but the Bluejays were able to melt the clock out on a drive that ended in an exclamation point touchdown from Tavis Lemmer that would result in a 23-12 Bluejay victory ending their 21-game skid.
The Cardinals fall to 0-1 to open the season. Things will not get any easier for the Cardinals next week as they return home to host the Stockton Tigers, who fell 36-14 against the Marionville Comets, Friday.