Cape Central bounces back, shuts out Farmington

After falling last week to the Jackson Indians, it left questions as to what the Cape Central Tigers' response would be.

Well, the Tigers answered with a defensive clinic, stifling the triple option and beating the Farmington Knights 35-0 on Friday at Cape Central High School.

“They have a good football team,” Tigers coach Kent Gibbs said. “We finally put it together and played good defense. We aligned properly, and the biggest thing we did differently is we tackled well tonight, and we tackled the ball close to the line of scrimmage. If you do those things on a consistent basis, you’re gonna play good defense.”

Gibbs said the focus in practice was stopping the triple option.

“They run it really well,” Gibbs said. “They’re tough physically, and we got physical with them tonight.”

The 50-0 loss to Jackson was one that stuck with the Tigers, but Gibbs and his staff wanted the team to leave it in the past.

“We just had to flush it and move on,” Gibbs said. “We needed a good week of practice and to put things together. The kids responded well tonight.”

The scoring got started courtesy of a 31-yard touchdown run from Zai’Aire Thomas, his first of three touchdown runs on the night.

“He’s a special kid,” Gibbs said.

Thomas would add a 1-yard touchdown run to close the first half and then a massive 68-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to cap off his big evening.

“You have to put it away when you can,” Thomas said of the touchdown to end the first half. “That’s what we did.”

Thomas wasn’t the only running back getting in on the fun as KeyShawn Boyd ran for a 42-yard touchdown in the second quarter that, at the time, increased the Tiger lead to 14-0.

“We’re lucky that we have two special running backs,” Gibbs said. “If you stop one of them, the other one’s going to have a decent night, but I don’t think (Farmington) stopped either one of them.”

Thomas said he and Boyd support each other no matter who’s having success.

“It can take a lot to not have a big game and support the guy that is,” Thomas said. “I like that we have that kind of relationship.”

Farmington’s most threatening drive came early in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers stopped the Knights in the red zone by forcing a fumble.

After recovering the fumble, Boyd found the end zone again, this time from 33-yards out, to make it 35-0 Tigers.

Not only did the Tiger defense respond, but so did the offense.

“We regrouped,” Gibbs said. “I think that we were a little embarrassed that we were so dominated last week. We played well up front (tonight) and did the things we needed to do.”

As the Tigers huddled following the win, the energy made it clear just how critical this win was for them.

“I hope it’s big for their confidence,” Gibbs said. “I hope it’s big for better practices and just getting one week better like we tell them every week.”

Cape Central (3-3) hits the road at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, when the Tigers battle with the Sikeston Bulldogs at Sikeston High School.

“It’ll be a dog fight,” Gibbs said. “They always play us tough.”