Center 7th 'A' Roughriders bounce BMS
Thursday night. (Photo by John Krueger)
CENTER -- The Center 7th Grade 'A' team held Bullard to just 19 yards of total offense, while the Roughrider offense used a 72-yard scoring run by Kel Ratcliff and a pair of touchdowns by Johnny Shaw to record an impressive 28-0 victory over the Panthers here at Roughrider Stadium Thursday night.
The 'Riders were content to play ball control as they only attempted one pass all night long. However, they only ran nine plays the entire evening, averaging 16.3-yards per play.
Ratcliff led the ground attack with 87 yards on only two carries, while Shaw carried the pigskin four times and picked up 60 yards.
Center also took advantage of two of the Panthers' three turnovers and a long kickoff return for a score by Coby Caraway to blow out to the easy win.
The Roughriders received their first break with 3:01 left in the opening period when Bullard fumbled and Armando Escobedo was there to pounce on the ball for CMS at the Panther 22-yard line.
After two penalties set the 'Riders back to the 37-yard line, Shaw took the handoff and scampered down the left sideline for a 37-yard score. Dalton Horton crossed the goal line on the two-point conversion and Center led 8-0 with 1:48 left in the stanza.
Escobedo recovered another fumble later in the half to help Center achieve better field position. But it was a fumble recovery by Gavin Steele that set up the next Roughrider score. CMS took over on the Bullard four yard line and Shaw sliced inside the right pylon with 1:54 left before intermission. Horton once again converted the 2-point conversion for a 16-0 Center lead at the half.
Before the Panthers could get anything started in the second half, the 'Riders piled on another score. Caraway took the second-half kickoff and found daylight down the left sideline for a 67-yard scoring return. The conversion pass failed, but with 23 seconds gone in the second half the Roughrider advantage was now 22-0.
After Bullard failed to achieve a first down after the ensuing kickoff, Center once again found paydirt. Ratcliff took the handoff at the Roughrider 28-yardline, broke a would-be tackle from three Panther defenders at the 45 and scored on a 72-yard run. The try for two failed, but the final score was in with 23 seconds left in the quarter.
Center played outstanding defense all night long. In addition to his fumble recovery, Steele picked off a Panther pass to help the 'Riders slam the door on BMS.
The Roughriders will return to action next Thursday when travel to Carthage. There will be four games, with the 7th grade 'B' starting things off at 5 p.m., with the 7th 'A' to follow. Those games will be followed by the 8th 'B' and 8th 'A' contests.