Bullard Panthers Stadium on Friday, October 27, 2023 –
The Center Roughriders varsity football team never trailed in their 40-33 road win over the Bullard Panthers on Friday. The win gives Center a 6-3 overall record and a 3-2 District 8 4A-2 standing with a single game left in the regular season.
The Roughriders got on the scoreboard first when Emonte Cash Cross capped a 70-yard scoring drive at the 10:24 mark with a pass to Lance Wilburn that went 44-yards for a touchdown. Carlos Hernandez added on an extra point kick which gave CHS an early 7-0 point lead.
Bullard’s first offensive drive stalled and they turned the ball over on downs to Center at their 25-yardline. Center drove the ball down to the Panther’s 15-yardline and on fourth down with two yards to go they elected to send in Hernandez who nailed a 26-yard field goal. Center led 10-0 with 3:03 left in the first period.
Bullard’s next drive stalled and they turned the ball over to Center at the ‘Riders 30-yardline. The ‘Riders drove the ball into Bullard territory where Kaden Dixon scored another Roughriders touchdown on first and goal at the Panther’s 1-yardline with just 50 seconds remaining in the first stanza. Another Hernandez kick gave CHS a 17-0 advantage.
Bullard got on the scoreboard when Logan Smith picked off a Center pass and returned it to the Center 35-yardline. With 8:24 left in the second period Panther Chase Randall scored the first Bullard touchdown on a 13-yard scoring run. A David Wilson extra point kick cut the CHS lead to 17-7.
Center went on a 72-yard scoring drive and Dixon scored his second touchdown at the 9:51 mark with 5:45 left in the second period. Hernadez added an extra point kick and Center led 24-7. A Da’Calvion Edwards 10-yard scoring run with 2:55 left in the frame gave Center a 30-7 lead.
Panther Quasy Warren scored Bullard’s second touchdown with 1:16 left in the second period to cut Center’s lead to 30-14. Hernandez put CHS up 33-14 when he booted a 36-yard field goal with just 2 seconds remaining before halftime.
Early in the third quarter Ayden Barrett hit Clifford Douglass for a 70-yard score which helped BHS pull to within 33-20 with 11:50 left in the third frame.
Dixon scored on a 17-yard touchdown run which gave the “Riders a 40-20 lead with 9:51 left in the third quarter.
Crew Bowman scored a touchdown with 3:28 left in the fourth period but the extra point attempt failed. CHS led 40-26. Bowman hit Randall for a 7-yard touchdown with just 1:33 left in the contest and Wilson’s subsequent extra point kick proved to be the game’s final. Center’s defense held Bullard in check the remainder of the contest and CHS earned the 40-33 win.
Next Friday, November 3, 2023 the ‘Riders will host the Brownsboro Bears at Center ISD for their final District 8 contest at 7:30pm in Roughriders Stadium. The Bears are 5-4 overall and 1-4, they lost 48-20 to the Rusk Eagles last week.
