Central football season ends in state semifinal

WEBB CITY, Mo. -- Coach Nathan Norman told his underclassmen after Central's Class 4 state semifinal game that they know what they have to strive for next.

"I hope they take two things," Norman said. "One, that you never give up on a season, you never give up on anything. You fight until the very end.

"Two, I hope they see what they have to become. I think that's [Webb City] what any high school programs in the state should look at. They don't win state championships by luck. They're physical. They're tough. They just don't become that. You have to work at that. That's what hopefully we'll take from this."

The Tigers were defeated 46-0 by three-time defending state champion Webb City in a Class 4 state semifinal on Saturday.

The Cardinals scored five touchdowns in the first half, including a 65-yard interception return with 2 minutes, 18 seconds left in the half.

Central's offense struggled from the start. After senior running back Mikey Jones carried the ball twice for a gain of two yards, senior quarterback Dennis Vinson threw his first interception of the game on his first pass attempt.

Vinson completed three passes on nine attempts in the game with two interceptions.

The Tigers' eight-game winning streak was snapped in the loss and they finished with a record of 9-5.

Webb City (13-1) will head to its fourth consecutive championship game. The Cardinals face Helias, which defeated Liberty North 26-14 Saturday, at 1 p.m. Friday at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis in a rematch of last year's Class 4 championship game.