Central football team tops Festus, will host district rematch

FESTUS, Mo. -- In order to get a home playoff game in the first round of the new Missouri State High School Activities Association playoff format, Central needed a big road win Friday night on the road.

The Tigers ended a five-game losing streak and topped Festus 24-15 to move up into the fourth spot in the Class 4 District 1 eight-team bracket.

The Tigers (3-6) leap-frogged Festus (5-4), setting up a rematch between the two teams this week at Central.

"Our kids played hard," Central coach Nathan Norman said. "They've played hard every week. We made plays when they had to that counted and Festus, unfortunately for them, did not."

Central had lost its last four games by seven points or less, while senior running back Chris Martin missed the last two games with injuries. Norman said the Tigers may have been able to get one of those games with Martin in the lineup but added, "That's over. He's healthy and for right now, and it's paying off."

For Central, the trends that played out over the last 41 minutes of the contest have to be a positive sign for a rematch.

In a game that featured a little bit of everything -- a safety, a field goal, a 49-yard field goal attempt and a kick return for a touchdown -- it was a quietly dominating performance by Central's defense that helped propel the Tigers to victory.

After Festus racked up 82 yards and five first downs in 12 plays in the first seven minutes of the game, the rest of the first half was a struggle. Festus had just 10 yards the rest of the half and ended the game with 194 yards of total offense.

Martin nearly equaled that on his own with 171 yards on 28 carries. He scored two touchdowns.

His first was an electrifying 57-yard run in the first quarter to put the Tigers in front to stay. His last was a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter that capped the victory-clinching drive.

"We've got some depth at running back, but it's definitely nice to have him in there," Norman said. "He's just a little more veteran at that position than anybody else we have."

Playing on the road, Central's biggest issue Friday was penalties. The Tigers committed eight for 76 yards to Festus' one for 15 yards.

Central did not commit a turnover while forcing four -- one fumble and three interceptions.

Festus' first fumble came on the game's opening drive, after it had marched inside the Central 15. Two plays later, Central had to cover a fumble in the end zone for a Festus safety.

Festus was marching again on the next drive, getting to Central's 23 after a fourth-down offsides penalty, but Central's defense drove back Festus 13 yards, including a sack by Darvile Hopkins. That began to change the game's momentum.

On the ensuing punt, Kyle Thompson scooped the bouncing kick at his 5 and returned it 38 yards. And on the next play, Martin found a hole and raced past the Festus secondary for a touchdown.

"Our line blocked very well today," Martin said. "I've never seen them block this well. I'm proud of those guys. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have gotten that run. They hit everybody."

Central pushed the lead to 10-2 when Calvin Lovig hit a 34-yard field goal just 48 seconds before halftime. That drive began at Central's 42, lasted nearly five minutes and included a fourth-and-8 conversion with Jacob Campbell turning a screen pass from Dennis Vinson into a 16-yard gain.

It sparked a scoring flurry.

Festus answered as Travis Spraul returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion pass was deflected and fell incomplete.

Central had enough time in the final 31 seconds to score a touchdown, thanks to a kickoff return into Festus territory by upback Keneen Abraham and a 15-yard personal foul against Festus on the play.

Vinson connected with Garan Evans on a 25-yard touchdown pass to the corner of the end zone for a 17-8 lead.

Central opened the second half controlling the field position, thanks in part to a defensive stand that featured big stops by Chris Bryant, Marcus Dixon and a screen-pass deflection by Jared Thomas. The Tigers were unable to convert, however, with Lovig's attempt at a 49-yard field goal falling short in the back of the end zone.

Festus eventually put together a 75-yard, six-minute drive that brought it back within two points at 17-15 with 7:25 remaining in the game.

Central drove into Festus territory on the ensuing possession but ultimately saw the drive end on a punt.

Festus tried a halfback pass on the first play from its own 22, but Mikey Jones picked off the pass with 3:08 remaining.

Central put together a 40-yard scoring drive, all covered by Martin on six carries.

Jones had another interception in the final minute. Campbell had one earlier in the game for Central.

"Our defense played extremely well and held them all game and got some big interceptions when it counted," Norman said. "We just tried to tell the kids to be smart, be aware of the first down marker and be aware of what's going on in the game -- don't get sucked in, read your keys."

For Martin, having another home game was a motivator. He had missed Central's scheduled home finale, a 25-21 loss to Sikeston, the district's top seed.

"That was hard on me," Martin said. "It's been a struggle the last couple of weeks, and I decided to bring it as hard as I can because I knew we needed this. I knew if we got this, it would give us some momentum going into the playoffs."

Central 24, Festus 15

Central 7 10 0 7 -- 24

Festus 2 6 0 7 -- 15

First quarter

F -- Safety, Central covers fumble in end zone, 8:48

C -- Chris Martin, 57 run (Lovig kick), 3:16

Second quarter

C -- Lovig 34 FG, 0:48

F -- Travis Spraul 95 kickoff return (pass failed), 0:31

C -- Garan Evans 25 pass from Dennis Vinson (Lovig kick), 0:08

Fourth quarter

F -- Carter Propst 1 run (Spraul kick), 7:25

C -- Martin 3 run (Lovig kick), 0:33

Central Festus

First downs 12 15

Rushes-yards 49-228 37-121

Passing yards 68 73

Passes 6-13-0 4-13-3

Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-1

Punts 4-142 5-140

Penalties-yards 8-76 1-15

Individual statistics

Rushing -- Central, Chris Martin 28-171, Jacob Campbell 12-42, Braion Owens 1-2, Mikey Jones 2-18, Dennis Vinson 6-(-5); Festus, Carter Propst 2-4, Corey Carr 7-22, Jaden Reddick 6-59, Nathan Cummings 17-38, Andrew Hayden, 4-(-2), Brennan Shular 1-0.

Passing -- Central, Dennis Vinson 5-12-0; Festus, Andrew Hayden 5-13-2; Mitch Neel 0-1-1.

Receiving -- Central, Garan Evans 2-35, Jacob Campbell 1-16, Jacob Margetta 1-3, Jacob Boerboom 1-14; Festus, Travis Spraul 3-62, Mitch Neel, 1-3, Nathan Cummings 1-8.