Center Roughriders Stadium, Friday, October 26, 2018 –
The Center Roughriders won their fourth straight varsity football game over the visiting Shepherd Pirates on Friday by a 35-24 score. The win moved the Roughriders season record to 5-3 and their District 9 4A-2 mark is 2-0. Shepherd stands at 5-4, 1-2.
The game was close virtually throughout the contest. Shepherd took the first lead when Joel Valdez booted a 27-yard field goal with 3:36 left in the first quarter to give the Pirates a narrow 3-0 point advantage.
Just 1 ½ minutes later Jakerrion Watson broke free foe a 31-yard touchdown run which gave Center a 6-3 lead with 1:51 left in the opening period. Alexis Lopez booted the extra point kick which extended the Roughriders lead to 7-3.
Center’s lead grew to 13-3 after a 17-yard Marques Hall scoring run with 2:40 minutes left in the second quarter. Lopez added on his second extra point kick to boost the lead to 14-3.
Shepherd’s Devin Withers broke free for a 97-yard kickoff return just seconds later to pull the Pirates to within 9-14. Valdez added an extra point kick to cut Center’s lead to 14-10.
Shepherd mounted an 11-play drive which led to a 5-yard touchdown run which gave them a 17-14 lead with 7:51 left in the third quarter.
Center answered back with a 75-yard scoring drive which was capped with a 3-yard quarterback keeper run by Jayden Hicks with 5:08 left in the third frame. Another Lopez PAT kick gave Center a 21-17 advantage.
A 29-yard scoring reception for Shepherd gave the Pirates a narrow 24-21 lead with just 6:56 minutes left in the game.
Just seconds later Center retook the lead with a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Marques Hall.
The Pirates misplayed the ensuing kickoff and Center took over inside the redzone of Shepherd with just six minutes remaining in the game. The Roughriders wasted no time capitalizing as they scored just two plays later on a 16-yard Keomodre Horace touchdown run which gave them a 35-24 lead with 5:41 left in the contest. The ‘Riders defense was able to hold off the Pirates on their next offensive drive and Center was able to keep the clock moving to end the contest.
The Roughriders gained 238 yards rushing on 29 carries. They completed 6 of 10 passing attempts for 98 yards. Center was penalized five times for 35 yards.
Shepherd rushed for 242 yards on 47 carries. Completed 2/5 passing attempts for 32 yards. They were penalized 4 times for 30 yards. The Roughriders will head to Huntington High School next Friday, November 2, 2018, for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Red Devil’s Stadium. Huntington won their road game against Tarkington High School by a 21-14 score last Friday. They are 3-4 overall and have a 1-1 District 9 record.
