Beat Indians 44-8, undefeated in the CCC
Listen below to Clark County Head Football Coach Ethan Allen discuss the game against Centralia. Fireside Guard Live! audio paid for by Dave Raithel for the 44th
Listen below to Centralia Head Coach Tyler Forsee discuss the win over Clark County Fireside Guard Live! audio paid for by Dave Raithel for the 44th
Listen below to Ethan Ross and Elliott McCoy discuss the win over Clark County. Fireside Guard Live! audio paid for by Dave Raithel for the 44th
In a battle between Clark County’s Spread Wishbone offense and Centralia’s Wildcat/Single Wing, Centralia almost pitched a shutout.
For two quarters, nine minutes and 57 seconds the field was all Centralia’s
After a few early possessions where Clark County’s defense got solid penetration on Centralia and both teams exchange punts, the Panthers turned up the volume and drowned out any scoring noise Clark County tried to make for most of the game.
Logan Rosenfelder scored first for Centralia, catching a 31-yard Elliott McCoy pass to make it 6-0, Centralia.
Rex Bryson followed that up at 11:54 in the second with a six yard touchdown rush. He followed that up with two[point conversion pass to Anthony Ford to make it 14-0 Centralia.
Bryson was not done. He landed a 16-yard touchdown pass into McCoy’s hands at the 5:21 mark to make it 20-0.
Then Charlie Robinson scored with a six yard up the middle rush with 35 seconds left in the half, capped by a Deke Maenner conversion run to make it 28-0 as they entered halftime.
“It was a little confusing at first, hard to practice for,” Clark County Head Coach Ethan Allen said of the Panthers’ new offense. “We played great at first, but our defense was just on the field too much.’
The wear and tear Centralia offense was inflicting accumulated. McCoy exploited it at 7:07 in the third with a 22-yard touchdown rush, followed by another Maenner conversion to make the score 36-0, as the few in number but loyal Centralia crowd roared its approval beneath a muggy, overcast sky.
Then with 2:03 left in the third, Clark County’s quarterback, Chayce Webster connected with Corrick Hunziker with a 36-yard touchdown pass, capped by a two-point conversion pass to make it 36-0 and kill the running clock.
“Running the ball was hard… We finally decided we were going to have to throw the ball a little bit,” Allen said, “and we did it pretty effectively.”
Then McCoy took the steam out of Clark County’s passing game by intercepting a Busser pass and running it into the RedZone. “”Elliott made a great break on the ball and after he secured the catch he was able to break off toward the sideline and get a big gain out of it. I liked how he had a convoy leading the way as his teammates did a great job of turning and getting some blocks that nearly got him in the end zone,” Tyler Forsee, Centralia Panthers head football coach said afterward.
Centralia could not bring it the rest of the way in, due in part to a stiffened Clark County defense with some help from a pair of back to back procedural penalties called against Centralia.
Centralia did score one more time. With six seconds left in the third, Ross ran 49 yards down the east sideline for the game’s last touchdown. Maenner capped it off with the night’s last two-point conversion to make it a 44-8 win for Centralia.
“It was definitely a total team effort,” Forsee said afterward. “I’m not sure how many first downs those kids gave up, but it wasn’t many. They did a great job of swarming and forcing them into some third and longs. Adam Rhodes did a great job on his kick offs… Offensively it took a little bit. Clark County did a great job on their defensive game plan… We want to the air a little bit, opened up our pass-game and had some success there”
Success could be defined as Bryson passing for 79 yards with three completions out of four attempts and one touchdown. McCoy passed for 31 yards, with one completion out of two attempts and one touchdown.
Friday, Sept. 20, now 2-1 Centralia hosts the Monroe City Panthers for another Clarence Cannon Conference contest.
For the complete article, see next week’s edition of the Centralia Fireside Guard.
