09/25/2025
Clio football hopes to continue its Cinderella story against perennial Flint-area powerhouse Goodrich
By Greg Tunnicliff
CLIO – A blue supermoon.
Comet Hale-Bopp.
A great planetary realignment.
Certain things only happen once in a great while.
And during the first four weeks of the high school football season, that has been case for Clio’s gridiron program.
The Mustangs posted a 26-21 come-from-behind victory over Owosso on Sept. 19, giving them their first 4-0 start in 53 years.
Clio had not won its first four games of a season since it captured its first six contests of the 1972 campaign.
Clio will encounter its biggest task of the season thus far on Friday when it travels to defending Division 4 state champion and second-ranked Goodrich.
Like Clio, Goodrich is 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the Metro League Stars Division.
While facing Goodrich is a daunting task, the Mustangs should have plenty of momentum to attempt to pull of something even rarer than their aforementioned accomplishment.
Friday’s contest will represent the ninth meeting between Goodrich and Clio in records dating back to 1925.
The Martians lead the overall series 6-2, including six straight victories by 26 or more points. Goodrich downed Clio 64-8 in the team’s most-recent encounter on Sept. 20, 2024 at Clio.
The Mustangs have not beaten the Martians in 95 years, dating back to a 30-0 triumph on Sept. 12, 1930 at Goodrich.
Like its past several teams, this year’s Goodrich squad is very talented.
The Martians have won their first four games by a combined score of 142-49, and they have not allowed more than 14 points in a game.
Included in its early-season victories was a 17-14 season-opening triumph over visiting Frankenmuth, ranked No. 2 in Division 5.
After scoring only 100 points in all nine of its games last year, Clio has notched 162 points (40.5 points per game) in its first four contests this fall.
The Mustangs’ defense has been solid, having yielded only 76 points (19 points per game).
Pacing Clio has been its senior quarterback D’Marion Erlenbeck. The right-hander has logged 865 yards in total offense, and he has been responsible for 16 touchdowns and nine 2-point coversions.
In short, he has had a hand in 114 of Clio’s 162 points (70.4 percent).
Erlenbeck has rushed for 680 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six 2-point conversions, on 78 carries, and he is 11-of-22 passing for 185 yards, four touchdowns, and three 2-point conversions.
Kickoff for Friday’s game is slated for 7 p.m. It will be Goodrich’s homecoming contest, and as a result, fans are encouraged to arrive early to get both a seat and a parking spot.
Be sure to pick up a copy of next week’s Mt. Morris-Clio Herald to get the inside scoop on the Clio-Goodrich showdown.
Clio-Goodrich football rivalry
(Records dating back to 1925)
09/13/29: Clio 40, Goodrich 0 at Clio
09/12/30: Clio 30, Goodrich 0 at Goodrich
10/11/19: Goodrich 42-16 at Goodrich
10/09/20: Goodrich 56-0 at Clio
09/10/21: Goodrich 48-0 at Goodrich
09/09/22: Goodrich 42-6 at Clio
09/15/23: Goodrich 72-14 at Goodrich
09/20/24: Goodrich 64-8 at Clio
Goodrich leads series 6-2.
Notes:
1. The color photo is of current Clio head coach Adam Clark, who hopes to dial up a solid gameplan when his team takes on defending Division 4 state champion and second-ranked Goodrich on Friday.
2. The black-and-white photo is of former Clio football coach Fred Hickman. The Central Michigan University product is the Mustangs' all-time winningest gridiron coach, having posted 62-49-12 (.553) mark at the school from 1930-40 and from 1946-49. He is the last Clio coach to beat Goodrich, having led the Mustangs to a 30-0 victory over the Martians on Sept. 12, 1930 at Goodrich.
