Centralia doesn’t try to pass downfield much.
When the Panthers did last Friday, they picked up key first downs and even a touchdown in a 26-14 win …
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Centralia doesn’t try to pass downfield much.
When the Panthers did last Friday, they picked up key first downs and even a touchdown in a 26-14 win over Mexico at home. Centralia had two touchdowns each from Ethan Ross and Rex Bryson, who had a 32-yard strike to Luke Waltemate.
Waltemate caught a 50-yard pass to set up a touchdown that made it 18-7 Centralia prior to his touchdown pass, widening the lead to 26-7 before halftime. Ross and Bryson came up firing when their receivers got behind the Mexico defense — along with running respectively for 96 and 37 yards — as they combined to go 3-for-4 with 115 yards through the air.
“Those guys put a lot of work in,” head coach Tyler Forsee said. “They work on their blocking, running and throwing. We’re not going to throw it 25 times a game. When we are, I want it to be efficient.”
Centralia benefitted from the deep ball early when it had a fourth-and-5 situation. Ross completed a 33-yard first down to Anthony Ford to ensure the Panthers would begin the game with a touchdown.
“That fourth-down conversion we got is not something I’m necessarily going to do on the regular,” Forsee said. “I don’t think my stress level is good for that.”
Bryson ran Centralia’s first touchdown in and then the Panthers had the ball back soon after when Mexico fumbled on its first play. Ford stripped the ball and then Dax Deckerd recovered it to set up a drive capped by a Ross rushing touchdown.
Centralia had a 12-0 lead to force Mexico to play from behind the entire game. The Panthers were the ones playing catch up last season when they fell short 20-16 to open the season in Mexico.
“That was key in getting that turnover,” Forsee said. “It was nice to see our kids go out and make a play. It’s fun to let them go out and do their thing.”
Mexico scored a touchdown in the third quarter to cut into Centralia’s lead 26-14. The Panthers didn’t score in the second half but didn’t allow the Bulldogs to come within one possession. Rex Bryson intercepted a pass in the endzone and then Charlie Fisher was tackled three yards short at the 10-yard line on fourth down.
Forsee said Mexico is a challenging test in the first week because of its disciplined offense that still ran for 214 yards. Louis Suddarth led Centralia with 12 tackles and Marshall Kable followed with six tackles.
“Our defensive line did a good job of tying up the offense to allow (Suddarth) to do that,” Forsee said. “Louis makes the tackles, but those guys are doing the dirty work. On offense, they do the blocking and the ball carrier gets the credit.”
Centralia plays at rival Hallsville at 7 p.m. this Friday.
