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Lakeview football:Brother act wins
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| H&N photo by Andrew Mariman One-two punch hard to beat: Lakeview quarterback Kasey Clemens (11) tries to find running room during Saturday’s Class 2A football quarterfinal game against Heppner. Kasey and his brother, Matt, have created a difficult one-two punch for opposing teams to stop in their senior season. |
Kasey and Matt Clemens back each other up
By JOSH PETRIE
H&N Sports Writer
LAKEVIEW — Kasey Clemens needed a pitchman.
The Lakeview quarterback was running a basic option play during the third quarter of last week’s Class 2A football state quarterfinal, and he had drawn several Heppner defenders his way. With nowhere to go, he pitched the ball to his right.
Without any doubt in his mind, his brother, Matt, took care of the rest.
“He knew I was going to give it to him, and I had it in my mind that I was going to get the ball to him because I know what he can do with it,” Kasey Clemens said. “I was pretty pumped when he got into the end zone.”
The senior duo has made big plays together since they began competing in sports, and such plays have propelled the football program to both of its state semifinal runs.
The first run ended with a loss to Heppner last season, but the brothers, and the rest of the team, have different plans for Saturday’s battle with defending champion Culver (noon Saturday at Summit High School in Bend).
“We want to go all the way. That’s all there is to it,” Matt Clemens said. “We don’t want it to be over, so we’re going to do everything we can to keep going.”
Team chemistry
Kasey Clemens is a year younger than Matt, but their mother, Saira, put Kasey into school a year early to be with Matt. Since then, they have been teammates in football, basketball and baseball, and they have developed a sense of each other that is difficult to match.
“I think, as you watch those boys in team sports, especially in the basketball and football area, you see some communication connectivity that you don’t see with other players,” head coach Lane Stratton said. “They do an awesome job.”
That chemistry has carried over to the rest of the team.
Lakeview has 19 seniors this season, most of whom contributed in various roles last year, and they formed a unit that seemingly is more cohesive and dominant as the season progresses.
“It’s like that old saying, ‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking?’ That always happens with us,” Kasey Clemens said. “We’re on the same page at all points of the game, and I think that helps us a lot.”
Pair of playmakers
Lakeview uses everybody in its spread-option offense, but the brothers are the two most prominent weapons in the attack. Behind an improved offensive line in its second year under the current system, both Kasey’s and Matt’s numbers are up from last season.
“Things are clicking as well as they can this year,” Kasey said. “Last year, we were transitioning into a new offense, the spread-option attack, and it was kind of rough. This year, we’ve got it all down, so it’s been working pretty well.”
Kasey Clemens has thrown the ball 66 fewer times this year through 11 games, but he has thrown for six more touchdowns (19) while only giving up 136 yards from last year’s 1,513-yard effort.
His quarterback efficiency rating of 197 is the highest in the Klamath Basin, and a 56-point improvement from last year.
“I know if I run my routes right,” Matt Clemens said, “he’s either going to see me open and get me the ball, or get other receivers involved.”
Kasey has run for 655 yards, also the Basin’s highest mark for a quarterback, and nine touchdowns.
Though listed as a halfback, Matt Clemens has a Basin-best 30 catches for 543 yards and five touchdowns, and has six rushing touchdowns and a return score. Where he is most dangerous, though, is on defense.
Matt showed off his ball-hawking skills last season, especially in the playoffs, when he had four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in three games. This year, opponents have avoided his side of the field, and that’s fine with him.
“We’ve got a great group of guys on defense again this year,” he said. “If they don’t want to throw it to my side, that’s their fault. We’ve still got guys who can make plays on the other side of me, so it’s all good.”
The Lakeview quarterback was running a basic option play during the third quarter of last week’s Class 2A football state quarterfinal, and he had drawn several Heppner defenders his way. With nowhere to go, he pitched the ball to his right.
Without any doubt in his mind, his brother, Matt, took care of the rest.
“He knew I was going to give it to him, and I had it in my mind that I was going to get the ball to him because I know what he can do with it,” Kasey Clemens said. “I was pretty pumped when he got into the end zone.”
The senior duo has made big plays together since they began competing in sports, and such plays have propelled the football program to both of its state semifinal runs.
The first run ended with a loss to Heppner last season, but the brothers, and the rest of the team, have different plans for Saturday’s battle with defending champion Culver (noon Saturday at Summit High School in Bend).
“We want to go all the way. That’s all there is to it,” Matt Clemens said. “We don’t want it to be over, so we’re going to do everything we can to keep going.”
Team chemistry
Kasey Clemens is a year younger than Matt, but their mother, Saira, put Kasey into school a year early to be with Matt. Since then, they have been teammates in football, basketball and baseball, and they have developed a sense of each other that is difficult to match.
“I think, as you watch those boys in team sports, especially in the basketball and football area, you see some communication connectivity that you don’t see with other players,” head coach Lane Stratton said. “They do an awesome job.”
That chemistry has carried over to the rest of the team.
Lakeview has 19 seniors this season, most of whom contributed in various roles last year, and they formed a unit that seemingly is more cohesive and dominant as the season progresses.
“It’s like that old saying, ‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking?’ That always happens with us,” Kasey Clemens said. “We’re on the same page at all points of the game, and I think that helps us a lot.”
Pair of playmakers
Lakeview uses everybody in its spread-option offense, but the brothers are the two most prominent weapons in the attack. Behind an improved offensive line in its second year under the current system, both Kasey’s and Matt’s numbers are up from last season.
“Things are clicking as well as they can this year,” Kasey said. “Last year, we were transitioning into a new offense, the spread-option attack, and it was kind of rough. This year, we’ve got it all down, so it’s been working pretty well.”
Kasey Clemens has thrown the ball 66 fewer times this year through 11 games, but he has thrown for six more touchdowns (19) while only giving up 136 yards from last year’s 1,513-yard effort.
His quarterback efficiency rating of 197 is the highest in the Klamath Basin, and a 56-point improvement from last year.
“I know if I run my routes right,” Matt Clemens said, “he’s either going to see me open and get me the ball, or get other receivers involved.”
Kasey has run for 655 yards, also the Basin’s highest mark for a quarterback, and nine touchdowns.
Though listed as a halfback, Matt Clemens has a Basin-best 30 catches for 543 yards and five touchdowns, and has six rushing touchdowns and a return score. Where he is most dangerous, though, is on defense.
Matt showed off his ball-hawking skills last season, especially in the playoffs, when he had four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in three games. This year, opponents have avoided his side of the field, and that’s fine with him.
“We’ve got a great group of guys on defense again this year,” he said. “If they don’t want to throw it to my side, that’s their fault. We’ve still got guys who can make plays on the other side of me, so it’s all good.”
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