Flat second half sends Central football team to first loss of season

ST. LOUIS -- For one half Saturday, it looked like this week's rivalry game between Central and Jackson was going to be a battle of unbeatens.

The Indians did their part in improving to 5-0 with a convincing victory over Poplar Bluff on Friday night. Central, ranked No. 7 in Class 4, appeared to be following suit as it scored 22 unanswered points to hold a 16-point halftime lead on host Ladue, which also entered Saturday's game unbeaten.

But this was a tale-of-two-halves game as Ladue dominated the final 24 minutes and improved to 5-0 with a 32-22 victory.

"I felt we were the more conditioned team and I thought we had them on their heels at halftime," Tiger coach Nathan Norman said about a 22-6 advantage his team enjoyed at the intermission. "I thought we could pound them and play our game. But for whatever reason we did not have the same kind of intensity in the second half. They got the momentum and kept it the rest of the way.

The Tigers were able to survive a crucial mistake in the first minute of the game as Peyton Montgomery's pass was intercepted by Chino Davis, who returned it 22 yards for a touchdown on the game's second play from scrimmage.

But the next 23 minutes belonged to Central. The Tigers showed why they were 4-0 coming into the game as they scored three touchdowns and even added a fluke two-point conversion.

Montgomery and Braion Owens scored on 1-yard TD runs and the Tigers appeared to have all the momentum at halftime after scoring a touchdown late in the second quarter.

The Tigers converted a fourth-and-short play at midfield, and on the next play Owens raced 50 yards for a touchdown. The snap from center on the extra point attempt was bobbled but kicker Brennan Redinger retrieved it and threw a jump ball in the end zone which was pulled in by Jordan Franklin for a 22-6 lead with 1 minute, 6 seconds left in the half.

Ladue coach Mike Tarpey had a reminder for his team at halftime.

"I told the guys that we were 4-0 for a reason," Tarpey said. "We had no rhythm offensively in the first half and I did not like some of the body language that I saw. We needed to play with more energy."

The Rams certainly did that as they needed less than three minutes to tie the game on a pair of touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions.

"Our goal was to make it a one-possession game early in the second half, and we actually got the game tied in a big hurry" Tarpey said.

That changed the Rams' body language and certainly the momentum.

Ladue received the ball to start the second half and drove 65 yards in 61 seconds, with James Scott scoring on a 1-yard run.

Central went three and out, and the key play of the game followed. James Bell blocked the Tiger punt, scooped it up and ran it in for a touchdown.

"We were hyped up in the second half and I told my buddy, Nathaniel Howard, that I was going to get this one," Bell said about the block. "He took out his guy and I went in untouched. I was in the moment and just found the ball and ran it in."

In a blink of an eye a 16-point Tiger lead had disappeared.

"It's tough to give up a play like that blocked punt and win against a good team like Ladue," Norman said. "That was a huge play in this game."

Ladue would take advantage of another Tiger special team miscue -- a 16-yard punt that gave the Rams possession at the Central 21. It ultimately resulted in a 2-yard TD run by Daylen Edwards.

Things went from bad to worse for the Tigers, who lost a fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter. That resulted in a 40-yard field goal by Jack Fox -- his ninth field goal of the season.

Meanwhile, Central was held scoreless in the second half.

"This ones over and we just have to move on and get better," Norman said. "We have a huge opportunity next week."

For the second week in a row the Tigers will look to defeat an undefeated team. This time it will be rival Jackson at Central.

Ladue has a big rival game of its own next week against Clayton.

Central 7 15 0 0 -- 22

Ladue 6 0 23 3 -- 32

First quarter

L -- Chino Davis 22 pass interception (kick failed), 11:15

C -- Peyton Montgomery 1 run (Brennan Redinger kick), 2:23

Second quarter

C -- Braion Owens 1 run (Redinger kick), 7:40

C -- Owens 50 run (Redinger pass to Jordan Franklin), 1:06

Third quarter

L -- James Scott 1 run (Daylen Edwards run), 10:59

L -- James Bell blocked punt return (Jack Fox pass to Edwards), 9:13

L -- Edwards 2 run (Fox kick), 1:41

Fourth quarter

L -- Fox 40 FG, 8:29

C L

First downs 13 17

Rushing 45-188 34-152

Passing 41 115

Passes 2-9-2 9-19-2

Punts 4-28.5 3-32.5

Fumbles/lost 4-2 0-0

Penalties 7-40 7-57

Individual statistics

Rushing -- Central, Braion Owens 18-108, Peyton Montgomery 14-38, Jordan Franklin 3-19, Al Young 6-12, Jalen Redden 4-11; Ladue, Daylen Edwards 9-33, James Bell 2-2, Jack Fox 6-20, James Scott 15-80, Mario Whitley 2-17.

Passing -- Central, Montgomery 2-9-2, 41 yards, Ladue, Fox 9-19-2, 115.

Receiving -- Central, Owens 1-39, Kway'chon Chisom 1-2; Ladue, Bell 5-86, Paul Flynee 2-13, Scott 1-5, Chuck Burton 1-11.