Cougars ousted in bi-districts
Staff writer
The Centre Cougars and Sylvan-Lucas Mustangs battled for almost three hours Thursday at Bud Peterson Field before the game ended with an 86-52 Cougar victory and a 4-1 record in district play.
Together with their teammates, seniors Barrett Smith, Bryce Naerebout, and Nathaniel Engler put on an impressive performance in their last home game as Cougars. They made 12 touchdowns and scored 12 extra points.
Smith was the star of the game, extending his record for the season to more than 1,000 rushing yards.
“He could have had more yards, but they couldn’t stop him, so I started calling some other plays,” coach Tye Remy said, “and all of the junior varsity players got to play.”
Smith had 333 yards rushing and had eight touchdown runs. Quarterback Cole Methvin scored three touchdowns and Dylan Deines caught a 25-yard pass for another. The Cougars also scored a safety on a blocked punt in the end zone.
Naerebout had 5 solo tackles and an assist. He also recovered two Sylvan fumbles.
Sophomore Max Svoboda led the defense with 8 solo tackles and 4 assists. Offensively, he had 15 carries for 133 rushing yards.
After a 6-6 start in the teams’ first possessions, Centre pulled out to a 22-6 first-quarter lead. At halftime, the Cougars led 44-22.
The score was 60-38 near the end of the third quarter when Smith made a long run to the 10-yard line and Methvin took the ball in for a touchdown.
Just 37 seconds later, after Xavier Espinoza recovered a Mustangs fumble, the Cougars struck again on a pass from Methvin to Deines. They led 72-38 at the end of the quarter.
Both teams scored two more times in the fourth quarter, and Centre walked away with a 34-point victory.
Bi-districts
Centre faced No. 4-ranked Axtell in the bi-district round, and could not withstand Axtell’s relentless passing attack.
The Cougars were defeated 46-0, with the game ending at halftime.