Stunned by an 18-0 gap after one quarter of play which included an 84-yard touchdown scamper, the Clay high Blue Devils football team, under first year head coach Jeff Gierke, regrouped, recovered and responded with 21 unanswered points in the second quarter to defeat visiting palatka High 21-18 in the first half of their spring football game Friday night at Clay High School.

" We wanted to see if we could run the ball on them in the first quarter with Nehemiah Bailey and a new offensive line, " said Gierke. " We adjusted in the second quarter threw some nice passes from Landon Martin our quarterback and we got a chance to see what we are  capable of."

After the initial three touchdown explosion by Palatka under there first-year head coach Lantz Lowery, former Keystone Heights boys weight lifting state champ and also football coach, Gierke went to the air with Martin hitting wide out Daelen Brown with a 54-yard pass and run pass play to get the score to 18-6. Martin was decisive on the three-play drive that started on the Clay 30 yd line.

Next a fumble recovery by defensive tackle Gavin Thompson at midfield set up a another Martin touchdown pass this one to MiKeise Battle from the Palatka 34-yard line. Martin again went three for three on the drive hitting passes to London Chadwick and Nehemiah Bailey running back to set up the Battle touchdown.

A second recovery this time by freshman Adam Wiggin as Palatka was knocking on the Clay goal line finished off with Martin himself carrying the ball 15 yards to pay dirt on the left hand sweep to score the game 21-18.

" Landon proved himself to have all the tools to get the job done, " said Gierke. "We will make some adjustments to improve our run game but Landon was the leader out there."

Both teams played Junior varsity players in the third quarter with Palatka pushing to a 16-0 score on that quarter with varsity returning for the fourth quarter and that quarter ending with a 14-14 tie.