Sean McLean
For The New Era
One crucial play was all it took to let Central get away Friday night as the Panthers exited Husky Stadium with a 42-18 victory.
While the final score indicated a three-touchdown win for Central, the game was much closer on the field. In fact, if it were not for a big interception by the Panthers deep in Sweet Home, the outcome of the Huskies’ match-up with the Val-Co’s leading team might have been different.
The Huskies’ offense was rolling in the first half, and they nearly took a two-score lead with under a minute to go in the first half.
Central, however, changed the momentum when they picked off Sweet Home quarterback Ryan Graville’s pass, for what would have been a touchdown, in the end zone and returned it to their own 47-yard line.
From there, the Panthers quickly moved the ball with a big 28-yard pass play that set up a first and goal from the two-yard line. After a big Sweet Home stop, Central got one last play in with a second left on the clock, and a Connor touchdown from one-yard out gave the Panthers a 21-18 halftime lead.
“That was a big series where we going in for a two-lead score and they made a big play there and run it back,” Younger said. “Then they made the plays to set up a score, and that was definitely a big momentum switch there.”
In the end, the Panthers’ strong running game, led by tailback Casey Connor’s 244 rushing yards, together with their air attack, was too much for Sweet Home’s still-young team.
“I think our kids really put out a tremendous effort tonight,” coach Rob Younger said. “We were in situations where we could make plays; and at times they made them and we didn’t, and that was really the difference.”
As the first three plays of the night indicated, a turnover-laden game looked to be in store, with cold, rainy conditions causing two fumbles and an interception. Sweet Home settled down and took control on offense, striking first on a 42-yard pass play from Graville to tight end Josh Riggs to give the Huskies an early lead. The turnover bug continued as Central fumbled away the ball, in a driving rain, on its next possession, putting the Huskies at the Central 41-yard line. Highlighted by another pass play to Riggs and a consistent running game, Sweet Home took a commanding 12-0 lead on a five-yard touchdown run by running back Trevur Byers.
“We started to get the ball rolling, and really got off to a good start,” Riggs said. “We really tried hard out there as a team, but in the end the big plays really killed us there in the second quarter.”
After starting out the game throwing the football, the Panthers went back to the run and had instant results. In just three plays, Central got on the board with a six-yard run by Connor, who would go on to score three times on the night.
Both teams exchanged possessions until Sweet Home caught a big break when the Panthers snapped over the punter’s head on fourth down. The error by Central set up a first down from the Panther 26 for the Huskies. With another big catch by Riggs and a 14-yard run by back Nick Pitts, Sweet Home took a two-touchdown lead as Byers punched it in from a yard out.
“I think, number one, our guys really executed our game plan extremely well,” Younger said. “We took advantage of some of the things they were doing on defense, and we really executed well tonight.”
Unfortunately for Sweet Home, it would be the last time the Huskies would find the end zone on the night, as Central’s all-around offense took control from that point on. The Panthers would repeat the same touchdown drive as their first one, going just three plays for 64 yards that was highlighted by a 59-yard touchdown run by Connor.
As time ran out in the offensive-oriented first half, Younger made sure to keep his team’s heads up, reminding them that they were only down a field goal.
“We talked about the momentum shift since everything was going our way and then they went up three points,” he said. “So we talked about taking advantage of that, turning a negative into a positive, so it was a mental aspect.”
Riggs said the halftime message was to maintain their composure.
“Coach emphasized that they were going to come out strong because they scored there at the last second,” he said.
The third quarter featured three long drives as the Sweet Home defense made a big stop in their territory on Central’s opening second-half possession. But they were forced to punt and the Panthers drove 64 yards en route to another score. With a first and goal from the Husky eight, Sweet Home denied Central a score on three straight plays. But on a big fourth play, quarterback Grant Hedrick found wide receiver Eric Phillips on an eight-yard pass play to give them a 28-18 lead.
Sweet Home’s offense continued to lack rhythm heading into the fourth quarter, and Central would add two late scores. Philips added another touchdown reception, and secondary player Michael Hamilton intercepted Graville and returned it 76 yards for the game’s final score.
“They really have a lot of good athletes,” Riggs said. “I really respect Central, they have a lot of team speed. They are great guys.”
Tailback Amos Parmenter put together another big all-around game, adding 83 yards rushing on 17 carries and leading the team with 13 tackles on the defensive side. For the second straight week, Riggs led the team in receiving, catching five passes for 91 yards and a score. Graville finished the night completing 10 of 19 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown.
“I really thought Riggs had a great game, and I think we really need to get him the ball because he is a playmaker,” Younger said. “We have created some plays for him because he is a really good athlete.”
The Huskies will step out of conference one last time and head back on the road to Junction City this Friday. With two games left, Riggs said the team needs to continue to stay the course they have been on.
Both teams are 4-4 going into this game.
“We just got to play hard and just continue what we have been doing,” he said. “We need to execute, keep our composure and nothing can stop us.”
Game Summary
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Central 6 15 7 14 42
SH 12 6 0 0 18
1st Quarter
SHHS: Josh Riggs 42 yd. pass from Ryan Graville (kick failed)
SHHS: Trevur Byers 5 yd. run (pass failed)
Cent: Casey Connor 6 yd. run (kick failed)
2nd Quarter
SHHS: Byers 1 yd. run (run failed)
Cent: Connor 59 yd. run (Connor run)
Cent: Connor 1 yd. run (Roman Daberkow kick)
3rd Quarter
Cent: Eric Phillips 8 yd. pass from Grant Hedrick (Daberkow kick)
4th Quarter
Cent: Phillips 5 yd. pass from Hedrick (Daberkow kick)
Cent: Michael Hamilton 76 yd. interception return (Daberkow kick)
Team Stats
Rushing: SHHS 41-173; Central 35-262
Passing: SHHS 10-19-2, 141; Central 9-21-1, 173
Total Yards: SHHS 290; Central 425
First Downs: SHHS 16, Central 14
3rd/4th Down Conversion: SHHS 5-14; Central 5-14
Penalties: SHHS 3-35; Central 9-55
Sacks: SHHS 2-10 (Mai, Horn); Central 3-24
Individual Stats
Rushing
SHHS: Parmenter 17-83; Pitts 6-48; Byers 10-29; Moyer 2-11;
Delong 2-2; Ward 2-2; Graville 2-(-2)
Central: Connor 26-244
Passing
SHHS: Graville 10-19-2, 141
Central: Hedrick 9-21-1, 173
Receiving
SHHS: Riggs 5-91; Horn 2-22; Byers 2-17; Macklin 1-11
Central: Phillips 6-133; Connor 3-40
Punting
SHHS: Puentes 3-105, 35; 32.3 Net
Central: None
Kickoffs
SHHS: Gutierrez 1-30, 16 Net; Callagan 3-66, 22; 20.3 Net
Central 6-167, 27.8; 13.8 Net
Kickoff Returns
SHHS: Pitts 1-54; Riggs 2-21; Puentes 1-9
Central 2-19
Fumble Recovery: SHHS 2 (Fisher, Parmenter); Central 2
Interception: SHHS: Macklin; Central 2
Tackles: SHHS: Parmenter 13, Sipe 6, Cota and Fisher 5
Val-Co League standings
Central 2-0
Newport 2-1
Taft 1-1
Sweet Home 1-2
Philomath 0-2