2021 Season Preview: Clover Blue Eagles

Photo: South Carolina High School League

Brandon Stockdale July 28, 2021 @ 12:16 PM

Clover made the best of the games that they were able to play due to cancellations because of COVID-19. They played a total of five games last year and won two of them. But 2021 should be smoother for coach Brian Lane’s Blue Eagles as they are only two years removed from making a deep playoff run before losing to Dorman. Lane has always been known as a great quarterback teacher as he calls the plays on Friday nights and he has another young star in the making in junior Joe Boyd who is athletic and can make plays on the run. Senior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id="153265" first="Darius" last="Bowser"] and tight end/defensive end Hunter Nichols will provide the support for Boyd in the Blue Eagles’ spread offense. Seniors Hagan Smith, who received an offer from Erskine College back in July and Isaac Franklin return on the offensive line, and both can open up holes in the run game. No quarterback was able to complete passes when senior cornerback [player_tooltip player_id="89317" first="Jy" last="Martin"] was defending them in 2020. He will be a guy to watch for the Blue Eagles on defense as he walked away with 5A honors for his play during the 2020 season. 2021 Schedule (home games in BOLD, region games in italics) Aug. 20 – at Dorman Aug. 27 – York Sept. 3 – Northwestern Sept. 10 – at South Pointe Sept. 17 – at Spartanburg Sept. 24 – Rock Hill Oct. 1 – BYE Oct. 8 – Fort Mill Oct. 15 – at Boiling Springs Oct. 22 – Gaffney Oct. 29 – at Nation Ford Clover opens the 2021 season on the road against Dorman, who beat them on a last second field goal in the 2019 playoffs. The non-region schedule is difficult with a 3-week stretch of games at home against Northwestern and trips to South Pointe and Spartanburg, which should set them up well for region play.