CARTERVILLE — Eli Downen ran for 265 yards on 32 carries and scored four touchdowns to lead Carterville to a 38-34, come from behind, win over McCluer out of Florissant, Missouri.

For quite a while, it looked as if Carterville would not have a game either Week 3 or Week 4 of the shortened high school football season due to other schools not having enough players. The Lions had to go out of state to find an opponent for Friday night (McCluer joined the SIRR to satisfy Covid restrictions), but it still looked as if they might not be able to play when storms rolled through the region.

After a three hour delay to start, the Comets jumped out to an 18-0 lead thanks to three first quarter touchdowns. McCluer was unable to convert any of the two-point conversions.

Carterville got on the board early in the second as Downen scored on a one yard touchdown and then ran in the two-point conversion. McCluer regained the 18-point advantage quickly on Kameron Gillespie’s four yard TD run and two-point conversion.

In the final minute of the half, Bryce Anderson threw a touchdown pass to Townsend Barton on a trick play. Downen ran in the two-point conversion to pull Carterville within 26-16 at the half.

Downen and Gillespie traded touchdowns in the first minute and a half of the third, so it remained a 10 point game at 34-24. Late in the third, Downen ran in his third touchdown of the game to pull the Lions within 34-30 heading to the fourth.

Carterville spent most of the second half in Comets’ territory and was finally able to take the lead when Downen scored his fourth TD of the night on a fourth and goal from the two with 2:50 remaining. Downen added another two-point converstion for a four-point lead.

Carterville then pinned McCluer deep. The Comets picked up one first down, but Jordan Cordes came up with a huge stop on fourth down, giving Carterville the ball back with less than two minutes to play.

Downen’s third down conversion capped a monster night and enabled the Lions to run out the clock just before midnight.

With the win, Carterville improves to 2-1. The Lions will travel to Herrin next Friday.