Wilquon Clemons won’t forget when he won his team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award after the Thanksgiving Day game last year.

The then junior running back finished the day with 106 yards on 14 carries.

A year later with the game hours away, Clemons has a melancholy feeling mixed with a sense of reality.

“It’s sad,” said Clemons. It’s hard to realize that this will be my last game. I know I have to play even harder and do even better.

“Since we didn’t make the playoffs, this is our championship game.”

The Roughies haven’t seen any action since their season finale against Northwestern Nov. 2. Still, Clemons and his teammates haven’t been bored.

“It’s good to have some time off,” he said. “The coaches have done a number of things to make it interesting. We have discovered something new about them (Northampton) every day. We seem to be getting more opportunities about what we can do against them.

“We need to stay mentally sharp.”

Clemons, who rushed for 816 yards and scored seven touchdowns last year, has seen his production drop to 582 yards and five touchdowns this season with a new coach in a new triple-threat offense.

He battled through some nagging injuries and has recovered from a recent collarbone injury on a team that has had troubling finishing during their 1-9 season.

“It took a little time for all of us to adjust,” said Clemons. “We would get to points in games where something bad would happen and we had trouble responding.

“The coaches always are positive and we do support each other better than last year. Last year, everyone was blaming each other.”

Clemons believes the current program can reach the same level of success.

“I think they can get it back,” said Clemons. “I know they will. The middle school team is very good and there is a good work ethic here.”

First-year head coach Mike McClain has appreciated Clemons’ presence.

“He is a phenomenal player,” said McClarin. “He has done everything we have asked of him and he played a new position for us in the backfield. He has done a number of good things for us, and someone has some big shoes to replace him.”

Clemons isn’t sure if he will wrestle this winter, but he plans on running track in the spring. Even though he is undecided on his college choice, Clemons wants to play college football next fall.

He also sees himself pursuing a career in sports management and coaching football in the future.

However, Clemons is anxious for his parting shot in the program Thursday.