EOAC Football



Columbiana Clippers (4-5 Overall) (3-3 EOAC - 4th Place)



The Clippers Struggled To Get Their Offense Going in 2020



The 2020 season was a bit of a struggle for the Columbiana Clippers. After finishing either first or second in the first three years of the EOAC, this year the Clippers never seemed to be able to get on track and ended the season with a 3-3 mark and a below .500 overall record at 4-5.

"Our offense never really got on track. We struggled all year on that side of the ball," Clippers coach Bob Spaite admitted. "All five losses were very disappointing because I believe we all think we could have done much better."

"As the head coach and offensive coordinator, this falls directly on me. The fact that we averaged the fewest yards, fewest points, and the least overall productivity falls squarely on my shoulders," He added.





One of the bright spots for the Clippers was the play of senior receiver Xathon Cross. He would be one of the top receivers in the league and also find himself as a big rushing threat.

"The bright spot was Xathon Cross's performance through the season. Xathon Cross was a standout in every phase of the game. He proved he was one of the best players in the area if not the best player," Spaite said.

"The learning curve was steep for our quarterback Tony Kocanjer, but he still managed to throw for over 1,000 yards in nine games. Colin Schick had a great season despite playing soccer as his number one sport. Creed Green had a tremendous season and Jake Kamperman was a rock that we leaned on all year on both the offensive and defensive line. John Chmura impressed us with his grit all year and our defensive secondary was a bright spot all year. Trevor Dearing and Kaden Green as first-year players had a really solid year," Spaite added.

Cross, Kamperman, Green, and Schick all found themselves with the honor of being EOAC first-team selections while Kocanjer, Chandler Parish, and Brady Dixon were all chosen to the second team. Chmura was named as an honorable mention performer.



Spaite pointed out that the continued development of Kocanjer and the other Clippers players who return next year will be vital for them to turn their fortunes around, "Fortunately, he cares deeply about doing well. I am excited to see what progress we make as a team in the weight room and what our off-season commitment will be. I'm looking forward to seeing how much every returning player grows and attacks the strength program."





Spaite also pointed to the covid situation as a major distraction throughout the season, "It was a huge disruption! Everything from practice, to locker room procedures, drills, and sideline procedures were affected. The teams that were successful were able to not suffer from the distraction. Then others like us, well, not so much."

With a good nucleus of starting players returning in 2021, the Clippers will certainly be a tough team to beat next year. How much they can develop their skill players to provide some quick scoring strikes will be a key in helping their offense turn things around.