By Keith Taylor

Sun Senior Correspondent

The George Rogers Clark High School football team concluded spring workouts Wednesday night with a Red and Black scrimmage at Cardinal Stadium.

The scrimmage was planned for Friday but was moved up two days because of inclement weather in the forecast for the remainder of the week.

“It was excellent,” Clark coach Oliver Lucas said. “Nobody got hurt and we played four quarters.”

Lucas and his staff used an offense versus defense format based on a point system, with the offense posting a 69-45 win over the defense. Lucas was pleased with his team’s performance on both sides of the ball.

“We had some rough spots, but had a lot of bright spots tonight,” he said. “We’re not as big (as we were last year), but we’re going to be quicker overall. Both teams played well overall.”

Individually, Lucas said running back Azariah Israel had a productive scrimmage.

“He stepped up to the plate,” Lucas said. “He had three long touchdown runs.”

AJ Conner also played well out of the running back slot and backup quarterback Isaac Lamb took majority of the snaps in place of starter Jordan Manley, who injured his thumb, but is expected to return fully healthy next fall.

Jeremiah Johnson also was productive at receiver, Lucas added. Johnson hauled in a pair of touchdown passes as part of his impressive performance in the scrimmage.

Trace Mitchell and Aquevion Lewis turned in solid performances on defense.

Lucas liked the team’s kicking game, anchored by punter Dylan Gibson and kicker Tye Boyken.

“He (Gibson) changed the field and that’s something that we didn’t have that we now have,” he said.

The Cardinals finished 7-4 last season and lost to Cooper 48-21 in the playoffs.