Prep's Clements listens, learns from mentor

AROUND THIS TIME last season, Jack Clements had a great view of the St. Joseph's Prep Class AAAA state title run.

Then a junior backup quarterback, Clements watched as senior starter Chris Martin returned from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and led the Hawks to their first PIAA football championship.

Fast forward little more than a year later - with Martin in attendance on Saturday - Clements hoisted the Hawks, 34-30, past a plucky Parkland squad.

The Moorestown, N.J., resident finished with 266 passing yards, added another 42 on the ground and also accounted for all five of Prep's touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.

Save for the occasional inspirational text message from Martin, the greatest strides from his former understudy have been made in the inches between his ears.

"Confidence," said Clements. "The biggest thing leading into this year was playing every game with a lot of confidence."

"It's been an up-and-down season, but (I'm) starting to pick it up," he continued. "Really putting trust in my teammates. Really looking for them to help me build and, I couldn't have done it without my O-line."

If that sounds like quarterback-speak, maybe it is. Also, maybe there is nothing wrong with that. After all, Clements is still taking cues from Martin, the current Johns Hopkins gridder who was one of the 2013 Daily News Players of the Year.

"Yeah, Jack and I talk a pretty good amount," said Martin, a freshman at Hopkins. "I knew him from being under me last year and we became pretty good friends. Whenever he needed anything I was always there for him."

Nowadays that help comes via text.

"Still have him texting me all the time," Clements said. "'Just do your own thing. This is your team now.'"

"(He taught me) leadership and how to (carry) myself. He taught me how to really be a quarterback. Helped my mechanics a little bit and taught me how to run. (Actually), all my running came from him."

With the Hawks triumvirate of rushers slow to find clear paths early, Clements actually led the team in rushing for much of the first half.

That also meant the passing attack, unlike recent games this season, was called upon more often.

Clements' right arm authored scores of 24, 64, 38 and 50. He also went 11-for-20, topping double-digit attempts for the first time in two weeks and reaching 20 for first time since Week 4.

His first tally was impressive because Clements was planted by a defender before he launched a well-placed fade to Justin Montague on the right side for six.

However, his last score was more important because Clements hit D'Andre Swift for 50 with Prep trailing, 30-27, with 4:21 left in the fourth quarter.

"We were looking for that all game," Clements said. "'Dre is a pretty fast kid so I saw 1-on-1 and I figured nobody was going to catch up with him, so I just put it out there and let him run under it."

Swift finished with 107 yards on five catches, while Olamide Zaccheaus caught thrice for 125 yards and two scores. Both running backs, Swift (60 rushing yards) and Zaccheaus (62 rushing yards) were also forced to play more defensive back with John Reid (Penn State) out of commission with knee issues.

Swift also added an interception.

"We knew they had to step up big time this week because we knew (Parkland) had a running quarterback and a big receiver and without John, John's a great defensive back so as a team we had to step up," Clements said. "O came in 'Dre came in as well. As a team we worked together."

Parkland junior QB Devante Cross finished with 278 yards and four TDs. Wide receiver Kenny Yeboah finished with seven catches for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Prep seniors Alec Dirks (two sacks) and Jake Strain (sack) were major disruptors in the second half while Dillon DeIuliis, also a senior, was a solid tackler throughout.

The Hawks will face District 1 foe Pennsbury in the AAAA semifinals next week. In AAA play, Archbishop Wood will meet District 5 top seed Somerset.

No word yet on if Martin will make the trip, but he certainly seems impressed with Prep's new leading man nonetheless.

"I think it's just his control of the team and his leadership," Martin said of Clements. "I think earlier in the year, he was just getting his first few starts and he was a little nervous, which is normal. But, I think he definitely got everything under control and has taken leadership of the team."