Nate Adams breaks another record with 28th career interception

GAINESBORO-The Clay County Bulldogs bounced back from their first loss in a big way here last Friday night, as they dominated Jackson County by a score of 35-7 to improve to 2-1 on the season.

The Dawgs’ non-conference, season-opening slate continues Thursday night, as they welcome Monterey (2-1) into Celina for a game moved up a day due to incoming weather.

Last season Clay County soundly defeated both the Blue Devils (47-7) and Wildcats (35-13), and the Dawgs will look to replicate the feat in 2024, after taking care of business here last week.

But it won’t come easy, as Monterey’s only loss came at the hands of 2023 Class 2A State Runner-up East Robertson by a score of 22-15.  They have also beaten Cannon County 21-7 and Rockwood 34-18.

In order to top the Wildcats at week’s end, Clay County will need a similar effort to the one on display here last week, where senior standout quarterback and defensive back Nate Adams led the Dawgs to victory and again made history in the process.

Not only did he throw for an impressive 244 yards and three touchdowns, he also picked off a pair of Blue Devil passes, including a pick-six that set a new Bulldog mark for career interceptions.

After entering the season as the program’s all-time-leading passer and producing the best game ever by a Bulldog quarterback in Clay County’s season-opening win over York, Adams caught his 28th career pick to seal the victory over the Blue Devils and break his uncle Brian Burchett’s interception record, which has stood for over three decades.

The historic pick-six, followed by the final of five made extra points by senior Manny Hernandez, completed a Clay County scoring flurry of 35 unanswered points.

Jackson County struck first on a 45-yard Zavion Mitchell rushing touchdown and the Blue Devils claimed a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter, but the Dawg defense pitched a shutout the rest of the way.

With Jackson County held at bay, the Clay County attack went to work.

Senior Lance Burchett caught a 49-yard touchdown to knot the game up at seven, before senior tailback Ayden Soto scored on a seven-yard run and junior Nolan Adams closed out the first half with a 16-yard scoring catch to send the Dawgs into the break ahead 21-7.

Led by junior Reece Adams’ nine-tackle outing, Clay County continued their stingy ways in the second half, and limited the Blue Devils to a lone field goal attempt—which was blocked by senior Hayden Adams.

Nate Adams found his brother Nolan from 41 yards out for the Dawgs’ final offensive score, before the start of the night closed out the victory with his milestone interception and reserves ran out the clock down the stretch.

Bulldog stats

Clay County posted 403 total yards of offense against Jackson County, including 159 rushing yards (TD) and 244 passing yards (3TDs).

Nate Adams had all of the yards through the air on 17 of 28 passing (3TDs/INT).  He had completions to Nolan Adams (7/100 yds./2TDs), Burchett (6/99 yds./TD), junior Cole Eads (1/17 yds.), junior Waylon Cherry (1/13 yds.), Soto (1/8 yds.), and Reece Adams (1/7 yds.).

Soto was the leading rusher (6/99 yds./TD), while freshmen Fletcher Strong (3/25 yds.) and Isaiah Burnette (5/13 yds.), Nolan Adams (1/17 yds.), senior Worm Smith (3/5 yds.), and Nate Adams (3/-7 yds.) also had carries.

Reece Adams led the defense with nine tackles, sophomore Roland Holaway recorded six stops, Smith made five, and Eads had four.  Senior Kaden Strong, Hayden Adams, and Soto made three tackles each; Nate Adams (2INTs/TD), Nolan Adams, and Cherry had two apiece; and senior Eli Burnette, junior Bryson Sharp, and freshman Caden Copeland all had one tackle.