By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Centre head football coach Tye Remy was shaking in his boots Friday at the start of the first game of the season. It was his first game as a coach.

“I was super nervous going into it, but it turned out to be more natural and easier than I thought it would be,” he said afterward. “I always make things worse in my mind than they are.”

The Cougars were overmatched by a larger and taller Solomon team, 62-36, but Remy was upbeat about the team’s performance.

The team has three returning seniors and five other starters on both sides of the ball who did not play varsity last year.

“Some of our guys are small,” Remy said, “but they are quick and strong. They have worked hard in the weight room.”

Remy was pleased with the team’s running game and the effort senior quarterback Dakota Stimpson made to put the ball in the air. He passed 14 times for seven completions and 56 yards. He also had 13 keepers for 55 yards on the ground.

Solomon completed 10 passes for 240 yards, but the Cougars outplayed the Gorillas on the ground, with 41 carries for 276 yards, compared with 35 carries for 195 yards.

Junior Barrett Smith carried the ball 17 times for 162 yards. Senior Conner Montgomery had 11 carries for 56 yards.

Sophomore Dylan Deines was the leading receiver, with five catches for 51 yards.

Montgomery scored Centre’s first touchdown early in the second quarter after two carries for 24 yards. After the extra-point attempt failed, Centre trailed, 22-6.

In its second possession of the quarter, Centre had three first downs in eight plays before Deines caught the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. The two-point attempt was good, and Centre trailed by 8 points, 22-14.

With 45 seconds remaining in the first half, Stimpson scored on a 24-yard run. The score was 40-20 as time ran out.

Solomon racked up 22 points in the second half before the Cougars scored again at the end of the third quarter. Smith ran 30 yards for the touchdown, and Stimpson ran for the extra points.

Smith scored the last touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter with a 39-yard run. Methvin caught a pass for the extra points.

Remy said his assistants have been “immensely” helpful. He said he is learning a lot from Kelly Steiner, who has coached for years. Assistant Tim Vinduska is organized and keeps him on schedule, he said.

Remy was anxious to review the video of the game to see where his focus needs to be to improve Centre’s game.

“We have a lot to work on this week,” he said.

Centre plays Little River Friday in a road game.