Center defeats Springhill 66-20

After setting a state mark and a school record with prolific scoring in Week 1, the Roughriders kept their right foot on the accelerator again in Week 2, piling 66 points on the Springhill Panthers.

The Riders did a better job this week with their left foot on the brake, giving up 43 fewer points than they did in Week 2.

“I was proud of our guys on both sides,” head coach Rick Meeks said after the game. “They stayed active, stayed positive, and did what you’d want to see. It was a winning effort.”

Like Tatum last week, Springhill is a former district foe. Unlike Tatum, the Panthers began the week as the bottom ranked team in 4A Div. II: 93rd out of 93.

But all the commentators agreed that these Panthers didn’t play like a last place team, certainly not on offense. Though their defense stopped the Roughriders only once (on an interception), their offense was plucky and resilient.

Springhill took the ball first and drove it well until the 9:50 mark. Cash Cross intercepted their first pass play of the game, returning it 40 yards across midfield to the 32-yard line.

“It looked like Cross said, ‘I’m tired of playing cornerback; I want to play quarterback,’” NETsn commentator Keaton Watlington said.

On the next snap, Cross threw a 32-yard touchdown to Lance Wilburn. The extra point followed for a 7-0 lead.

Three plays later, Springhill punted to the Center 40. Four Kaden Dixon runs took the team 55 yards to the five. Then Cash Cross faked the handoff to Dixon and kept it himself for the TD. The PAT made it 14-0.

But the Panthers answered. Their drive with three runs and a first down from their 25, sophomore QB Travis Allen threw a perfect strike to senior Dwaylon Richardson for a 65-yard gain to the 10. On the next play, Springhill scored, but a holding penalty took it off the board and backed them up for 1st and goal from the 20. “It’s the kind of thing that happens to the state’s bottom ranked teams,” Watlington said. “Those teams tend to create their own bad luck.” But four plays later, facing 4th and one from the 2-yard line, the surprisingly resilient Panthers got the first down. Then two plays later, Caleb McKinley ran two feet for the Panther’s first score. After the PAT the score was 14-7 with two minutes remaining in the quarter. After a good kick-off, the Riders began their next possession from the 18. Kaden Dixon ran through a big hole then out-danced three Panthers to the sideline: the result was an 82-yard touchdown. 21-7. “That’s what a division 1 prospect looks like,” Shires said after the score. Springhill took the ensuing kick-off and made a long run for a first down. Then on the first play of the second quarter, they fumbled a toss that was recovered by Jermain Hunter and returned to the 28-yard line. But two plays later, Cross scrambled and threw his first interception of the season; the two teams traded turnovers. The Panthers took over at the 20 and answered with a six play, 80-yard TD drive, capped by a dramatic 7-yard 4th down pass from Allen to senior Jack Beckett. With the PAT the score was 21 14 in the mid second quarter. “The Panthers, they didn’t quit,” Center Motor Player of the Game Kaden Dixon said in postgame. “They were here to play tonight.” The Roughriders would answer, but not before a good question: Can a celebration call take points off the board?

After a good kick return from Jeremiah Ratcliff, the Riders faced 4th and thee from the Springhill 42. Dixon ran nearly untouched for the long TD, but an unsportsmanlike personal foul penalty called on Dixon took the score off the board.

“An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty negates the score now,” said Shires.

So, the answer is “yes.” Four plays later, Cross hit Lance Wilburn for their second TD connection of the game. PAT made it 28-14.

Needing a time-consuming scoring drive, Springhill used much of the remaining clock. They were close to a score when Center senior Debraylon Moore broke up the 4th down TD pass attempt, giving Center the ball on the 30-yard line with two timeouts and 72 seconds before halftime.

The Panthers prevented any big plays, but Center used several downs and both timeouts to reach the 24-yard line with six seconds until halftime. Senior kicker Carlos Hernandez kicked a 41-yard FG to end the half and give Center a 31-14 lead.

At halftime, the 185 member CHS Band performed most of its UIL Marching Drill to the Springhill home fans. The Center/Springhill band rivalry is a good one: both bands have a long history of marching excellence.

“There were two bands that motivated us to perform well,” Keaton Watlington said. “Carthage and Springhill— the two best 4A bands around Center.”

The Chaparrals also impressed as they did a jazz routine to the Springhill home side.

The second half belonged to the Roughriders. They began with a long kick-off return from Timothy Johnson to the Panther 45. Four plays later, Dixon made a 17-yard TD run; PAT would make it 38-14.

Springhill struck back quickly—QB Travis Allen pitched to older brother Trevor Allen for a 60-yard TD run; PAT sailed wide, making it 38-20.

Though it would have two more long, time-consuming drives, Springhill was finished scoring. But the Center offense had much more work to do.

On the next play from scrimmage, Dixon ran for another 57-yard TD followed by a PAT: 45-20 with 10:21 left in the third.

After a long Panther drive, the defense—led by sophomore Cody Adkinson—stopped Springhill on 4th and goal from the 6. Four plays later, Cross hit Lance Wilburn for their third TD, this one good from 78 yards. The PAT made it 52-20 and the score stayed that way until the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth, Dixon added one more 43-yard TD run. 59-20. And a 50-yard interception return by Timothy Johnson produced the final score: 66-20.

Center moves to 2-0 and looks forward to traveling to Louisiana for a rematch with the North Desoto Griffins who beat Center in last season’s shootout, 71-44.