Center Roughriders Stadium on Friday, October 14, 2022 –
The Center Roughriders varsity football team took a 63-21 District 8 4A-2 varsity football win over the visiting Van Vandals (5-3) on Friday. The win gives Center a 5-2 overall record and they have a 2-1 conference mark.
A 63-yard touchdown reception from Emonte Cross to Jake Morris just 35 seconds into the game gave Center a 6-0 advantage. Carlos Hernandez added his first, of what ended up being nine, extra points kicks for the night and the ‘Riders led 7-0 with 11:25 still left in the first quarter.
Cross hit Morris again just one minute later for a 50-yard score to give CHS a 14-0 advantage with 10:20 left in the opening frame. Da’nijhalon Gipson later recovered a fumble to give CHS possession of the football with 5:31 left in the first period. ‘Rider Kaden Dixon capped the next drive with a 4-yard scoring run which gave CHS a 21-0 lead with 5:13 left in the first stanza.
Garrett Florey scored on a 2-yard run for the Vandals with 11:02 left in the second period. Sergio Salinas added an extra point kick and Van trailed 21-7.
TJ Davis capped a Center scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown run with 8:08 left in the second frame and CHS led 28-7. With 2:18 left before halftime Cross again found Morris this time for a 32-yard score which gave CHS a 35-7 lead.
The third quarter saw the Vandals pull to within 35-14 after Garrett Florey scored on a 2-yard touchdown run.
Center bounced back when Cross hit Christopher Evans for a 45-yard touchdown reception just 12 seconds later.
The Vandals answered with a 50-yard touchdown run with 6:47 left in the third period. Center led 42-21.
Center recovered a Van fumble with 2:37 left in the third frame and Dixon scored on Center’s ensuing drive on a 36-yard touchdown run with just 21 seconds left in the third period. CHS led 49-21. The quarter ended on a Jaxon Parker sack of the Vandal’s quarterback.
Lance Wilburn took a Cross pass and raced 25 yards for another Center score which helped give them a 56-21 lead with 9:37 left in the game. The game’s final touchdown came on a 48-yard punt return by Gipson with 7:05 left in the contest. A JaKeyvius Polk interception with less than five minutes left gave CHS possession of the football and they were able to run off the remaining time for the 63-21 win.
Center will travel to Carthage next Friday, October 21, 2022 for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Bulldogs Stadium. Carthage is 8-0 and 4-0 in District 8. They won on Friday at Rusk by a 49-0 score.
