Shelby County Today

Shelbyville High School, September 7, 2018 –

(Photo Album) The Sabine Cardinals Varsity Football team picked up their first win of the year by beating the hometown Shelbyville Dragons by a 38 -20 score.

The Cardinals won the coin toss and started their first possession at their own 32-yardline. They began the game running the ball well. Cardinal quarterback Landon McKinney went to the air and completed a 19-yard pass to Clayton Simmons. Now on the Shelbyville 41 yard line, the Cardinals fumbled the ball. Shelbyville’s Sawyer Hendricks made them pay when he picked the ball out of the air and ran 52 yards for the touchdown. A successful two-point conversion put the Dragons up 8-0 with 9:34 left in the first quarter.

The next possession saw the Cardinals turn the ball over on downs at the Shelbyville 5-yard line after moving the ball well on a 12-play drive which covered 66 yards.

The Dragon offense finally made it on the field with 4 minutes left in the quarter. The football was snapped over the head of a running back while Shelbyville was using the Wildcat formation. A Dragons runningback picked up the football in the end zone and was able to throw it away. However, an intentional grounding call was made in the end zone. This resulted in a 2-point safety ruling for Sabine, who then trailed 8-2 with four and a half minutes left in the first quarter.

Shelbyville returned the ball to Sabine with a free- kick. Then McKinney completed two passes, to Clayton Simmons and AJ Gresham to move the ball to the Dragon 24. McKinney, Renfro, and B.J. Stidham took turns carrying the football, with McKinney going the final 4 yards to give Sabine High their first lead, at 9-8, at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter saw both teams move between the 20’s and lots of penalty flags. Sabine’s Fernando Jaimes kicked a 44-yard field goal with 1:25 left in the second quarter and the Cardinals went into the halftime intermission with a 12-8 lead.

The Dragons took the second half kickoff and scored on a 6-play 73-yard drive which was capped with a 5-yard LD Coleman touchdown run. A missed extra point attempt left the Dragons with a narrow 2-point lead, at 14-12, with 10 minutes remaining in the third stanza.

Sabine made 33-yard score on a reception with 8:19 left in the third frame. Their 2-point conversion attempt failed and they led 18-14. The Cardinal defense held the Dragons to a three-and-out on their next drive. The Cardinals scored again when Brannigan Willige carried the football for the final 11 yards needed for the score, and a 25-14 edge.

A short kickoff by the Cards found them recovering a loose football near midfield with 2:40 left in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth, Willige got his second touchdown, a 4-yard touchdown carry. This gave Sabine a 32-14 lead with less than 10 minutes left in the game. The Dragons still had some life in them and they scored a 10-yard pass play, from Jaylon Brinson to Perez, which cut Sabine’s lead to 32-20 with 7:37 left in the contest.

With four minutes left, McKinney made the game’s final score on a 9-yard run iced the game. Sabine’s Hunter Austin snuffed out the Dragons with an interception in the end zone on the contest’s last drive.

The Dragons had three turnovers, an interception and two fumbles. Sabine had a fumble. Shelbyville rushed 22 times for 185 yards and completed 2 of 7 passing attempts for 35 yards. They made 7 first downs. Sabine rushed for 237 yards on 45 rushes and completed 14 of 20 passing attempts for 174 yards. They gained 15 first downs.

The Dragons will host cross-county rival Joaquin High School next Friday, September 14, 2018, at Dragons’ Stadium, at 7:30 p.m.

 The Cardinals (1-1) host Harleton next Friday night, this is Sabine’s homecoming.

September 4, 2018 - Shelbyville Dragon Junior Varsity football game vs Sabine will be at 5:00 pm in Sabine on September 6, 2018. There will be NO Jr High game this week.

Friday, August 31, 2018. Center Roughriders’ Stadium –

The Center Roughriders’ Varsity Football Team won their first game of the season in a nail-biter which went down to the final tick of the clock. Center led the Tatum Eagles 35-30 with just four seconds remaining in the final period. The Center defensive secondary maintained coverage well enough to force Tatum to attempt a pass which was caught, but could not be pulled down inbounds as time expired.

The Eagles started the game with a 58-yard drive which was capped off with a 5-yard scoring run by senior running back Jachais Jenkins with 10 minutes left in the first period. An extra point kick gave Tatum the first lead at 7-0.

Center answered by going 73 yards in six plays to tie the game after junior wideout  Jakerrion Watson caught a pass from Jayden Hicks for a 51-yard score with 9:01 left in the opening frame.  Junior kicker Alexis Lopez kicked the extra point which tied the game at 7-7.

Tatum scored next with a 14-play, 79-yard drive, which was completed with a 15-yard run by Jenkins with 3:50 left in the first quarter. Their extra point kick was good and the Eagles led 14-7.

Ismael Vasquez kicked a 22-yard field goal for Tatum in the second quarter which gave the Eagles a 17-7 lead with 3:54 left before halftime. The Eagles then attempted an onside kick which was covered by ‘Rider Jamichel Weathered at Center’s 40-yard line and gave Center good field position.

The Roughriders wasted no time and went 60 yards in seven plays before scoring. Hicks hit Chris Jackson for a 6-yard scoring reception with 1:19 left in the second quarter. Lopez tacked on the extra point kick which cut Tatum’s lead to 17-14.

Center took a 21-17 lead into the locker room after Jakerrion Watson pulled down a deflected 53-yard touchdown pass with time expired in the first half.

Tatum found the endzone first in the second half when they capped a 60-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run with 4:30 left in the third stanza. This gave the Eagles a 24-21 advantage.

Center’s Jake Hanson recovered a Tatum fumble late in the third period at Tatum’s 24-yard line. With just 25 seconds left in the third frame, Center regained the lead when Watson caught a 1-handed touchdown pass from Hicks to give CHS a 28-24 advantage.

Center extended their lead to 35-24 with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Hicks with 8:08 left in the contest.

Tatum made the final touchdown, on a 20-yard reception with less than three minutes left in the game. The Eagles attempted a 2-point conversion but it failed. The Eagles trailed 35-30 and the Roughriders defense was able to hold them off.

The ‘Riders rushed the football 20 times for 159 yards. They completed 13 of 18 passing attempts for 249 yards. Center gained 13 first downs. They were penalized three times for 25 yards.

Tatum rushed the football 37 times for 274 yards. They completed 20 passes out of 29 attempts for 187 yards. They gained 23 first downs. They had a fumble and were intercepted twice. The Eagles were penalized seven times for 95 yards.

Center is now 1-0 for the regular season. Head Coach Barry Bowman and his staff will prepare the Roughriders to play the Jefferson Bulldogs, at Jefferson next Friday, September 7, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. They will begin District 9 4A-2 play at Tarkington High School on October 12,2018.

August 30, 2018 - Octavius Evans, a 2017 Center ISD graduate, is making headlines in Idaho! He is the subject of an article run on the Idaho Statesman when his coach Bryan Harsin speaks highly of him. Click the article below to read and hear what Coach Harsin had to say about Evans.

He’s No. 1 — Boise State receiver gets a new jersey, and it carries plenty of significance

Shelby County is not only proud of Evans' skills but of his character!

Related article: Parks, Evans Sign Letters of Intent