Clayton and Sanderson's season-opening football battle played out much like the previous two have. Both sides found a few things that worked, found more things that still need work and battled through a tight ballgame that ended with a third consecutive Spartan victory.

Sanderson earned a 25-19 victory, getting a big sack (after an intentional grounding call) from Duke recruit Perry Simmons in the final minute that forced an intentional grounding call that ended Clayton's bid to rally from a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit.

"We have a saying about adversity," said Sanderson coach Jason Tindal. "Adversity is an opportunity. We beat a good football team tonight, it's good to get 'W' to start the season."

The Spartans broke out of the scoreless tumble late in the first half when senior quarterback Jeff Massey turned a scramble on a pass play into a 50-yard touchdown run.

On third-and-14 from the 50-yard line, Massey dropped back to pass and got pressure from the outside. He stepped up into the pocket looking for a better angle to pass and found open field.

The third-year starter put it to good use, running through the Clayton defense for the game's first score.

On Clayton's ensuing possession, Sanderson's Dion Mitchell snared a Comet pass attempt, giving Sanderson the ball right back at the Clayton 18-yard line. Two plays later, Travis Trumps raced home on a 15-yard TD run for a 14-0 lead at the break.

Rough field position hindered Clayton's offensive chances throughout the first half. The Comets had three drives start inside of the 15-yard line.

"What's bad for us is how many times we started inside of the 20," said Clayton coach Gary Fowler. "We aren't to the point where we can consistently drive the ball 90 yards. It was a solid first half for us, though, until that final four minutes."

But Clayton found some things on offense, in the second half, specifically that it could move the ball out of its ace one-back shotgun set.

The Comets finished with 290 yards rushing on the night, mostly using returning leading rusher Juwan Williams, quarterback Chris Ferguson and Adrian Smith out of their ace set.

Williams led Clayton with 128 yards on 18 carries, while Ferguson added 89 yards on 14 carries. Smith netted just 48 yards but picked up two touchdown runs.

"Until our offensive line is able to come out and knock people off of the ball, it may be something we have to do more of," Fowler said of the Comets' work out of their spread-type offensive set.

Smith's first score came with 11:50 to play in the game and got the Comets within 14-6. The lead didn't stick, though, as Massey broke free on a 74-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 22-6. Things got worse when Clayton fumbled away the ensuing kick off. It was the Comets' fourth turnover of the night.

The Spartans turned that mistake into three more points and a 25-6 lead with 10:18 to go.

But the Comets came right back with a five-play scoring drive, capped by Ferguson's 3-yard TD run.

"Ferguson grew up as a quarterback tonight," Fowler said. "He gives us another threat on the ground back there."

A three-and-out (and a poor punt) by Sanderson gave Clayton the ball right back. It took just four plays to get another TD with Smith running in from 20 yards out.

Sam Eberwein's extra-point got Clayton within 25-19 with 4:53 to go.

Clayton grabbed another quick defensive stop and worked the ball to midfield with two minutes to go before Simmons came up with his big play that helped Sanderson hold on.

"You can't do much when you fumble the ball and turn it over four times," said Clayton coach Gary Fowler. "But when things started to go bad on us, my kids didn't quit and that's something to build on. ...

"We strapped it on for the full 48 minutes and stayed after it."