Center Roughriders Stadium. Friday, October 11, 2019 –
The Center Roughriders varsity football team claimed their third straight win by defeating the Tarkington Longhorns for homecoming by a 62-42 score. The Roughriders moved their season mark to 4-3. CHS stands at 1-0 in District 9 4A action. They will enjoy a bye week and will next play on Friday, October 25, 2019 when they travel to Shepherd to face the Pirates.
Tarkington intercepted a Center pass early in Friday’s contest and turned it into a score when Blake Parish scored on a run for a touchdown which capped a 54-yard Longhorns drive. Tarkington led 7-0 with 5:59 minutes left in the first quarter.
Center bounced back with a 5-play scoring drive of their own which was finished off with a 49-yard Jakerrion Watson touchdown reception with 3:37 left in the opening stanza. Center’s extra point kick attempt was blocked so the Roughriders trailed 6-7.
Center’s defense recovered a fumble early in the second quarter. Just four plays later Jake Hanson hit Zacc Smith for the Roughriders second touchdown. A good extra point kick by Alexis Lopez gave the ‘Riders a 13-7 advantage with 10:05 left in the first half.
Tarkington went on a long scoring drive which ended with Parish scoring on his second touchdown run of the game with 5:16 left in the second quarter. THS took a 14-13 lead.
Center regained the lead when Smith caught another scoring pass in the corner of the endzone and gave CHS a 20-14 advantage with 3:58 left before halftime.
Watson scored on a 25-yard touchdown reception with less than two minutes left in the second quarter to give the Roughriders a 27-14 lead.
Tarkington answered back with a 25-yard touchdown reception by Christian Howard which cut the Longhorns deficit to 27-21 at halftime.
Red Horace added a pair of rushing touchdowns to the Roughrider’s tally early in the first half. The second score a 9-yard ‘Bullrush’ gave Center a 41-21 lead with 4:50 left in the third stanza.
The Longhorns never gave up and answered back with a 35-yard touchdown strike with 1:47 left in the third quarter to cut Center’s lead to 41:28.
Jakerrion Watson set Center up with good field position on the next drive with a great kickoff return which put the ‘Riders near the redzone close to the Tarkington 25-yard line. Hollis Polk brought down a touchdown pass from Jake Hanson to give Center a 48-28 lead before the third quarter was finished.
THS punted the ball back to Center to start the fourth quarter of play. Center wasted no time by finishing a 2-play scoring drive with a Makel Johnson touchdown reception early in the final quarter. This gave Center a 55-28 lead after another Alexis Lopez extra point kick.
Center fumbled the ball to THS with about 8 minutes left in the game. Tarkington answered and drove the ball 65 yards to the endzone where Alex Armstrong scored on a 20-yard reception which cut the CHS lead to 55-35.
Dekylin Hoyt scored the ‘Rider’s final touchdown with an 18-yard rush into the endzone with 2:23 left in the contest.
Center finished the night with 277 yards on 22 carries rushing. Kemodre “Red” Horace finished the evening leading all rushers with 235 yards on 18 carries. He scored twice. Hanson completed 13 of 17 passing attempts for 287 yards and six touchdowns. He finished the night with a 117.9 passer rating.
