Staff writer
For the second week in a row, the Centre High School football team finished Friday with a victory. The class 1A Cougars defeated 2A Canton-Galva, 48-24.
Centre turned the ball over at least three times on fumbles. Canton-Galva had numerous other penalties but did not score any extra points.
It was anyone’s game in the first half. The Eagles struck quickly, scoring a touchdown on a long run less than two minutes into the first quarter.
Rustyn Kerbs returned the kick-off to Centre’s 39-yard line, and Tanner Brunner made a 22-yard run for a touchdown. He completed the two-point conversion. Centre led, 8-6.
Canton-Galva’s Nick Vogts ran 44 yards for an answering touchdown, to give the Eagles a 12-8 lead.
In Centre’s next two possessions, Canton-Galva got the ball back on fumbles, but both times they were unable to score.
Turning and twisting his way through the defense, Brunner ran for another Centre touchdown in the second quarter. With a successful extra-point attempt, Centre once again took the lead, 16-12.
With four minutes to go in the half, Canton-Galva scored on a pass from Nick Vogts to Brett Williams, to re-take the lead, 18-16.
The Cougars responded with another touchdown on a pass from Brunner to Zach Antoszyk. After the two-point conversion, Centre again was on top, 24-18, a score which remained at halftime.
As the second half began, the Eagles surprised the Cougars with an onside kick. They recovered the ball on their 38-yard line. Just 15 seconds into the third quarter, they tied the game at 24-all on a 37-yard run by Bryant Baldwin.
The game looked tight and even tighter when the Eagles recovered a Centre fumble on the Cougars’ next possession. However, Canton-Galva was forced to punt, and Centre went on to score after good runs by Brunner and Rustyn Kerbs. Centre led, 32-24, at the end of the quarter.
Centre scored on its first possession in the fourth quarter. The Cougars led 40-24 when they intercepted the ball on the Eagles’ 10-yard line. They worked their way down the length of the field to score again with 2 minutes, 38 seconds remaining. After a run by Trevor Troutt for two extra points, Centre led 48-24.
The Eagles turned the ball over on downs as time wound down. After taking a knee two times, Brunner and his teammates walked away with a satisfying 24-point victory.
Brunner put in a stellar performance, rushing for 244 yards and passing for 75 yards. He scored all six of Centre’s touchdowns. Zach Antoszyk led receptions, catching the ball three times for 37 yards.
Canton-Galva had 38 carries for 233 yards rushing. Centre had 37 carries for 288 yards.
Canton-Galva completed eight of 21 passes for 129 yards, and Centre completed 6 of 10 passes for 75 yards.
Coach Kelly Steiner was pleased with the team’s performance but said they had work to do to prepare for Friday’s homecoming game against Hope.
“We had too many turnovers,” he said. “We can’t have that against Hope. They’re too good of a football team to make mistakes against.”
Individual statistics
Rushing: Tanner Brunner, 26c—244; Rustyn Kerbs, 6c—28; Trevor Trout, 4c—10; Kordell Harding, 1c—6.
Passing: Brunner, 6-10-1—75.
Receptions: Zach Antoszyk, 3—37; Kerbs, 2—30; Cole Svoboda, 1—8.
Pass interceptions: Kerbs, 1.
Tackles (solo/assisted): Brunner, 9/12; Antoszyk, 8/9; Harding, 5/7; Kerbs, 4/7; Casey Kristek, 5/3; Troutt, 5/4; Jacob Jennings, 0/1; Cole Svoboda, 2/2; Brian Burhoop, 1/0; Shane Methvin, 4/2; Kendall Harding, 0/1.