Mexico football misses help Centralia gain distance in 27-0 shutout

Centralia gained some distance from Mexico on Friday night in a rematch from Week 1 last season.

Mexico at Centralia Photo Gallery

Mexico missed opportunities and tackles in a 27-0 shutout loss at the Panthers, turning over the ball three times and allowing 183 yards and three touchdown passes by Cullen Bennett. Centralia amassed 301 yards on offense, including 61 yards on nine carries by Jesse Caballero, and Mexico ran for 198 yards out of its 208 yards.

Centralia head coach Tyler Forsee said the two 60-yard touchdowns by the Panthers helped out the offense that struggled to get going in the first half. Bennett found Cayden Dunn on a short pass that went 61 yards on Centralia’s first play from scrimmage and then Beau Hatton turned a short lob into a 63-yard touchdown in the second quarter for a 14-0 halftime advantage.

“We take a quick screen, took it to the house and things were riding high,” Forsee said. “We kind of stalled out for a while. The first game is always tough. The bullets never fly as fast in practice as they do on gameday so it takes a little adjusting.”

Mexico hurt itself with three lost fumbles as two of them turned into Centralia touchdowns, including the Hatton long-distance trek down the sideline and an eight-yard run by Drayden Conde to make it 20-0 in the third quarter.

Peyton Hoover led the eight Bulldogs that took at least one rushing attempt as he ran for 67 yards on nine carries. Ethan Johnson followed with 56 yards on 11 attempts, Hunter Cuno ran for 38 yards on six carries and Drew DeMint had 32 yards on eight carries. Greydon Sewell had one of two Mexico receptions and led the defense with eight tackles.

The Bulldogs were hurting early in the first quarter, though, as head coach Steve Haag said they were forced to play catchup on a hot and humid night.

“I think we were there, but we had missed tackles,” Haag said. “The rest of the first half, I thought we did a good job defending them. We started feeling sorry for ourselves and then we just started tanking there at the end of the first half. From that first series, we started feeling sorry for ourselves because it was hot and we were down.”

Haag said Mexico’s team this year with many in bigger roles learned from this loss and believes they had a good first game. The backfield had a handful of Bulldogs getting touches, including Drew DeMint, Ethan Johnson, Hunter Cuno and Peyton Hoover, and they were all contributing to the Bulldogs’ solid rushing attack.

“I think they did a good job, and I think everybody made mistakes,” Haag said. “The guys that played last year, we need more out of. They shouldn’t make as many mistakes. The young guys, or the guys that haven’t played as much, it’s a growing experience.”

Greydon Sewell at tight end and linebacker impressed Haag as did Wyler Broeker on the lines, Tyson Carr picked up an interception, and Kaden Benne and Korbyn Dorsey each played well in increased roles. Haag said the players just need mental toughness.

That mental toughness could prevent the mistakes Mexico’s offense made, dropping the ball on snaps and exchanges in the backfield a few more times along with the lost fumbles, and can help the Bulldogs bounce back from those mistakes, Haag said.

On Centralia’s side, Hatton, Rex Bryson and Ian Tuggle had fumble recoveries and were part of a defense that stalled Mexico’s offense more in the second half.

“They were hurting us to the tight end side so we were trying to get another body to that side,” Forsee said. “They were doing a good job running that play and were doing an outside-zone type of play.”

Mexico marched the ball into Centralia territory four times in the first half but couldn’t come away with any points. The Panthers’ offense shook off a feast-or-famine first half with a long drive in the third quarter only to turn the ball over, but Centralia took the ball right back with its third fumble recovery prior to the Conde touchdown.

“People don’t understand how big that is,” Forsee said. “You have a turnover and everybody’s down in the dumps, but then you get one right back. They bailed us out a bit because they were moving the ball pretty well.”

Haag said his team will be recovering from any physical ailments but need to address the mental as well. Those long plays loom large on the first week’s result, but the Bulldogs need to remember how those plays happened and how they need to be prevented.

“You don’t want people to score, but I just think of how it happens. You miss tackles,” Haag said. “It’s different if they throw a ball and the guy makes a heck of a play on it. We dove and missed tackles. That’s what really gets to you.”

Mexico (0-1) hosts Southern Boone (0-1), who lost 56-46 at Odessa last week, while Centralia (1-0) plays at Hallsville (1-0), who won 46-6 at Palmyra last week.

Mexico softball takes sixth place in tough Sullivan bracket

It wasn’t easy for Mexico softball to open the season on Saturday.

The Lady Bulldogs finished their stay in the Peoples Bank Back to School Classic tournament in Sullivan by going 1-2 in the gold bracket, facing three teams that won at least 20 games a season ago. They lost to Blair Oaks 5-1 before earning a consolation championship game with a 3-2 win against Sullivan and then losing fifth place in a 15-0 loss to Hillsboro.

Mexico’s offense struggled to find footing as it combined for 11 hits in the three games. Aleigha Henderson put in much work in the circle, firing off six innings spread between the three games. She allowed one run on four hits in the first five innings she pitched before taking more lumps against Hillsboro.

Emma Cunningham allowed the early damage against Blair Oaks in the first game as the Lady Falcons scored fours in the first two innings. Mexico scored its lone run in the fourth inning when Kylie Burnett reached on an error that allowed Karlee Sefrit to cross the plate.

Mexico scored first against Sullivan in the next game as Kenley Jones followed her two hits against Blair Oaks with a first-inning RBI double against Sullivan. Brooke Teel came through with a bases-loaded single in the second inning to finish the game 3-for-3, and Maddy Feger bunted home a run in the third inning. Keerstan Ewing stranded two Lady Eagles in the fourth inning with a strikeout after they had already plated two runs in the frame.

Mexico was limited to only one hit against Hillsboro as Teel singled on a bunt in the first inning. Kaylee Hilton was the star for Hillsboro all the necessary three innings with five strikeouts and finished with three RBI from a 2-for-3 game at the plate.

Mexico opened its North Central Missouri Conference schedule at home Tuesday against Marshall before playing at Bowling Green at 5 p.m. tonight.

Volleyball

Mexico lost 25-12, 25-13 and 25-23 at Fulton. Lady Bulldogs play at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at another North Central Missouri Conference foe Kirksville.