Cougars roll over Blue Valley
The Centre Cougar football team was fired up and ready to play Friday as they faced Blue Valley-Randolph at home in the opening game of the season.
The Cougars got off to a flying start during the first quarter, piling up 30 points compared to eight by Blue Valley.
Senior Todd Stahlecker recovered a Blue Valley fumble that occurred on kickoff and carried the ball to the 23 yard line.
A couple of plays later the Cougars were in the end zone. A catch for the extra point by Andrew Hajek made the score 8-0.
Blue Valley responded with a long run of its own and two extra points to tie the game at 8-8 at 7:07 in the first quarter.
A kick-off return by Stahlecker for a touchdown plus two extra points put Centre up 16-8. After Blue Valley gave up the ball on downs, Travis Burns carried it into the end zone on a long run to make the score 22-8. The extra-point attempt was successful.
On Blue Valley's next possession, a Brent Carlson tackle resulted in a fumble. Travis Burns recovered the ball and ran 47 yards for another touchdown. The extra point attempt failed, and the quarter ended with the score Centre 30, Blue Valley 8.
The Centre roll continued in the second quarter. A Blue Valley punt was taken by Stahlecker, who ran zigzag fashion all over the field as he made his way into the end zone. The extra point attempt failed, but Centre led 36-8.
Blue Valley scored on its next possession. After a failed extra-point attempt, the score was 36-14.
Two penalties imposed on Blue Valley for tackling a receiver and roughing a passer helped the Cougars move quickly down the field. At 3:46, they scored another touchdown and two extra points, bringing the score to 44-14.
Blue Valley continued to have difficulty moving the ball. Its next punt resulted in a Travis Burns return to the six yard line and a subsequent Centre touchdown.
Coach Bud Peterson put in a second string of linemen. Blue Valley scored another touchdown, and the half ended with the score at 50-20.
The Rams picked up their play in the second half, scoring a touchdown in just two plays and adding two extra points.
However, on their next possession, they fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Centre and resulted in a touchdown, making the score 56-28.
Blue Valley's final touchdown came at 2:32 in the third quarter. The Cougars missed their next three extra-point attempts but scored three more touchdowns, two of them in the fourth quarter, including a 57-yard run by quarterback Eric Peterson. The final score was Centre 74, Blue Valley 36.
Coach Peterson was pleased with the team's performance overall.
"We showed a lot of quickness," he said, "and we played pretty well defensively."
Statistics
First downs: 11/10
Rushing: 36c for 297 yds/51c for 268 yds.
Passing: 5-10-0-104 yds./5-15-0-62 yds.
Penalties: 3 for 20/6 for 45.
Punts: 4 for 126/4 for 112.
Punt returns: 2 for 62.
Kickoffs: 12 for 440/6 for 198.
Kick returns: 5 for 112/12 for 186.
Fumbles: 0 for 0 losses/3 for two losses.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Todd Stahlecker, 15 carries for 91 yards; Travis Burns, 14c for 125; Eric Peterson, 7c for 81.
Passing: E. Peterson, 5 of 9 for 104 yds.; Stahlecker, 0 of 1 for 0.
Punts: E. Peterson, 4 for 126 yds.
Punt returns: Stahlecker, 2 for 62 yds.
Kick-offs: Burns, 9 for 335 yds.; Jimmy Cheever, 3 for 105.
Receiving: Stahlecker, 2 for 17 yds.; Burns, 2 for 76; Hajek, 1 for 11.
Kick returns: Stahlecker, 2 for 91 yards; Burns, 3 for 21.
Defensive leaders: Brent Carlson, 9 unassisted, 9 assists, 1 fumble recovery; Stahlecker, 5-11-1; Bryant Gutsch, 2-9; E. Peterson, 1-11; Burns, 4-13; Joe Forsberg, 1-6; Seth Jirak, 3-10; Tad Remy, 1-8; Danny Denham, 0-3; Steven Hageberg, 0-4; Scott Peterson, 1-4; Andrew Hajek, 0-3; Lance Diepenbrock, 1-4.
