LOUDONVILLE — In a game dominated by defense, a special teams play set up the lone score in a seat-squirming Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference football clash.
Centerburg returned a punt to the Loudonville 21-yard-line, and that set up a 21-yard touchdown run by quarterback Carter Waggoner with 6:12 remaining in the first period. The successful PAT gave the Trojans an early 7-0 lead.
The scoreboard remained in hibernation for the remainder of the night as Centerburg spoiled the Redbirds’ Homecoming.
(Photos by Dan Werner.)
“We played really good defense; that’s always the key and what we have been hanging our hat on for the past couple of weeks,” Trojans’ coach Andy Colella said.
The victory pushes Centerburg’s record to 4-2 overall, 3-0 in the KMAC.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Colella said.
Loudonville fell to 3-3 overall, 1-2 in the league.
“We knew they were big and athletic, and we wanted to make sure we limited the big plays, which we did, with the exception of that long touchdown run,” Loudonville coach Keith Lemke said.
“We knew that their special teams were really good and they got a 50-yard punt return, which gave them a short field. We really didn’t want to punt to them.”
The Redbirds had a promising scoring opportunity snuffed when they couldn’t convert a crucial short-yardage situation.
“In the second quarter we had a fourth and one and did not get the first down, it is a game of inches.” Lemke said.
In the final moments, the Redbirds reached the Trojan 18-yard line. With 63 seconds remaining, Loudounville called its final timeout to strategize about the upcoming fourth-down play.
With just under one minute remaining the Trojans’ defense stiffened one more time and broke up a pass to take over on downs.
“Offensively we have had some struggles and there are things that we need to work on, but for the most part, we moved the ball when we needed to,” Colella said.
Lemke said he liked his squad’s mental approach.
“They played with great intensity. I’m really proud of their effort, and when they look in the mirror, they can know they gave it all they had,” he said.
Next Friday, Centerburg will host Cardington-Lincoln and Loudonville will travel to Danville.
(Photos by Cheryl Splain.)
