Friday saw the Center Roughriders varsity football team pull away from the visiting Tatum Eagles by outscoring them 80-63 in each team’s season opener.
This game boasted plenty of fireworks as the teams swapped the lead ten times during the night. Tatum took the early lead when Cole Watson scored on a 10-yard quarterback sneak with 7:27 minutes left in the first period. An extra point kick gave the Eagles a 7-0 point lead.
Kaden Dixon got Center on the board with a 51-yard touchdown run with 6:13 remaining in the opening period. The Roughriders added a 2-point conversion run and went up on the Eagles 8-7.
With 2:30 left in the first frame Watson hit Luke Sigler for a 36-yard touchdown strike which gave THS a 14-8 advantage. Center retook the lead when Emonte Cash Cross hit TJ Belin with a pass which resulted in a 50-yard touchdown and gave CHS a slim 15-14 lead after a Carlos Hernandez extra point kick with 1:28 left in the first stanza. Hernandez would eventually make good on 8 extra point kicks throughout the night.
Tatum retook the lead at 21-15 when Watson hit Sigler on another long strike early in the second quarter, to give THS good field position, and Brayden Mimbs scored on first and goal a minute later.
Cross hit Lance Wilburn for a 55-yard ‘Riders touchdown reception with 10:34 left before halftime to give Center a narrow 22-21 lead.
Mimbs found paydirt again with a 14-yard touchdown run with 7:42 left in the second frame Tatum led 27-22 after a blocked extra point attempt.
Cross scored on a 66-yard keeper with 6:01 remaining first half to give CHS a narrow 36-35 advantage. Then Dixon added a 4-yard touchdown run to his resume with 1:28 left till the halftime buzzer. This gave the Roughriders a 43-35 lead at the break.
The second half of the ball game saw plenty of scoring but no lead changes as Center held onto the lead for the remainder of the contest. Dixon scored for CHS with a 59-yard run which gave the ‘Riders a 51-35 lead with 11 minutes left in the third period. Cross added another score to his books and gave CHS a 59-41 lead with nine minutes to go in the third quarter. Cross later found Wilburn for a 64-yard score with 4:52 left in the quarter and Center led 66-41. Jakevin Robinson pulled down a reception for a touchdown which helped gave CHS a 73-49 lead at the 1:10 mark of the third frame. With just 28 seconds remaining in the third quarter Jermain Hunter returned a Tatum kickoff 90 yards for Center’s final touchdown and Center led 80-57.
The game’s final score was the only one of the fourth frame. Tatum gained a 10-yard touchdown run by Watson with 6:42 left in the contest which put the final score at 80 for Center and 63 for Tatum.
Center will travel to Spring Hill on Friday, September 1, 2023 for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Panthers Stadium. The Panthers took a tough road loss to the Sabine Cardinals by a 64-20 score.
