Roughriders rope stubbornly-stalking Panthers

Center defeats Spring Hill in Week 2

Chris Watlington

Almost exactly a year ago in Week 2, Center faced a Spring Hill team which few people considered to be a threat. Coming off a big win, the Riders had their hands full with a surprisingly resilient Panther squad.

History repeated itself Friday night during this season’s Week 2 match-up: despite being 21 point underdogs, the Spring Hill Panthers were up for the challenge, giving the Riders all they wanted.

“You shouldn’t overlook Spring Hill,” Coach Meeks said before the game. “They surprised the state last year by making the playoffs. This year, they have all the important players back and they’ve really matured in the execution of their offense.”

Center took the opening kick-off and did exactly what was expected: they scored quickly with big plays. The drive consisted of three pass attempts from T.J. Belen to fellow senior Timothy Johnson: the first was an incompletion, the second was a first down, and the third was a one-yard pass and a 50-yard run for the first touchdown. The PAT was good and Center led 7-0 after 28 seconds had passed.

Then Spring Hill took the kick-off and did exactly what they expected: they spent most of the rest of the quarter driving 70 yards, with five first downs, before running the ball for the first Panther touchdown and tying the game 7-7 with a little more than three minutes left in the quarter.

“Spring Hill is learning to master the “flex bone” offense,” Coach Meeks explained. “On any given play, any one of the four guys behind the line-that’s the quarterback, one fullback and two wings-can get the ball. So every defender has to know his keys and read them correctly. It’s a challenging offense to defend against.”

Center’s second series began at the 38-yard line. Belen threw two first down tosses to Johnson, but on the series’ sixth play, Belen looked the other direction, hitting senior Jeremiah Ratcliff with a quick slant good for a 40-yard touchdown. With the PAT, the score was 14-7. The quarter ended a few seconds later.

The Panthers’ second drive lasted four minutes with several first down runs coming from senior back Trevor Allen on end-around runs. But on 1st and 10 from the Center 40, quarterback Travis Allen, (Trevor’s little brother), faked to Trevor and handed it right up the middle to deceptively fast junior running back Coleman Stout for a 40-yard score. The PAT was no good and we had a 1-point game at the nine minute mark.

Center’s next possession started in Panther territory thanks to a long return and a Spring Hill penalty. Five plays later, Belen rolled left and hit a sprinting Johnson for another TD, this one from 38 yards. The PAT made it 21-13 with 7:56 in the half.

On the next kick-off, Spring Hill made its biggest play of the game: Trevor Allen took the kick at his goal line and sprinted 100 yards for the score. The PAT made it 21-20.

On the next possession, Spring Hill’s defense stopped the Riders. On 4th down, Center faked the punt and ran the ball instead, falling inches short of the first down.

Spring Hill took the ball at the 40-yard line with a golden opportunity. On 3rd and 12, Trevor Allen fumbled the pitch from his brother, and though he managed to recover the ball, he lost 20 yards in the process. Spring Hill then punted back to Center.

After holding the Riders for a second time, Spring Hill started their last drive of the half on the Center 45 with just over 4 minutes remaining. They got several first downs moving into Center’s red zone. With 38 seconds left, Easton Wulf hit the Panther quarterback causing a fumble and ending the drive.

Center moved the ball 77 yards in three plays, but on the last play Johnson was pushed out of bounds two yards short of the goal line. The half ended with Center nursing a 1-point lead, 21-20.

Center’s twirling line opened the halftime entertainment with a routine to “Seven Nation Army.”Then the 126-member strong CHS Marching Band took the field, looking very good for early September. Junior Jaxon Olalde was the Band Member of the Week. Afterward, the Chaparrals impressed with a high-kick routine to the song “We Found Love.” The Chap of the week was Neveah Pennington.

To begin the third quarter, Spring Hill began near its own 35-yard line and got one first down before peeling off 52 yards on an up-the-middle handoff to Stout. Two Center defenders caught him at the 2-yard line, but one play later Trevor Allen scored, then scored again on a 2-pt conversion. Spring Hill had taken its first lead.

It would be its last. On the next Roughrider drive, facing 2nd and 25, Belen hit Jeremiah Ratcliff down the sideline for a 55-yard touchdown. The PAT tied it at 28.

Spring Hill launched another time-consuming drive, getting as far as the Center 6-yard line. On third down, as Trevor Allen tried to cut upfield, he was leveled by Wulf, knocking the ball loose and causing a TD-saving fumble. It would become the Dairy Queen Play of the Game.

“It had been close up to that moment,” Coach Meeks would say in postgame. “But that was the turning point for us.”

Taking over at their own 4-yard line, the Roughriders began a three-minute, 96yard drive that culminated with another Belen-to-Johnson touchdown, this one from 40 yards. The PAT made it 35-28. With the last four minutes of the quarter, Spring Hill began another long drive. They were across midfield as the quarter ended.

As the final stanza opened, Spring Hill faced 3rd and long. Allen dropped back but was sacked by Easton Wulf and the Rider defense.

The Roughrider’s ensuing drive moved quickly into the Panther red zone. A desperate Panther defense slowed the attack, but facing 4th and 3 from the 25-yard line, Belen threw a perfect slant to sophomore Eli Olivas. The PAT gave Center a 42-28 lead with 8:20 left.

Spring Hill’s next drive went 15 yards, but on 3rd and long the Rider defense forced another fumble, giving the offense control at the Center 47.

The Riders gave Spring Hill a big dose of Bluford and the running game, engineering a time-eating drive that continued until the 1:50 mark. Then on 3rd down, Bluford thundered 20 yards, breaking several tackles for the game’s last score.

With the PAT, the final score was Center 49, Spring Hill 28.

The 21-point win gives Center the district’s best record at 2-0. Now, they prepare for Friday’s visit from the mythological beasts from Louisiana, the North Desoto Griffins. In their two prior meetings, Center has scored a total of 94 points against the high-flying Griffins but lost both contests.