OAKVILLE KEEPS CAPE CENTRAL WINLESS, POSTS 17-6 VICTORY

Some time on Friday, before the Oakville Tigers made their trek to Cape Girardeau, someone from Oakville snuck away with a handful of Cape Central jerseys.

Then the whole team made like thieves and swiped a 17-6 win over Cape Central Friday night.

Central dropped to 0-4 on the season, while Oakville improved to 2-2.

Though Central was in the ballgame until Oakville's Kyle Stockman made a 22-yard field goal with :42 seconds left, the game basically came down to two plays in the first quarter.

In Oakville's second possession of the game, Greg Bridges -- who wore No. 22 instead of his normal No. 2 -- ran a draw play up the middle untouched for a 71-yard touchdown.

"There just wasn't anybody home," said Central coach Lawrence Brookins. "You can tell your defensive line to be ready for the draw play, but you can't just watch for it all the time. They just did a good job blocking it. We knew their quarterback could throw it if he got time and I think our eyes were on No. 7."

On the very next play after its extra-point kick failed, Oakville recovered an onside kick.

"We kind of got lucky," said Oakville coach Jerry Maulin. "Sometimes I'd rather be lucky than good."

"We teach them (to be ready for that) in practice," Brookins said. "I thought we had time to get to the ball, but we got out-hustled to the ball."

Oakville took the ball 44 yards on eight plays, scoring on a 22-yard pass from quarterback Blair Biehle to John Zingrich.

A two-point conversion pass from Biehle to Matt Coonley made it 14-0 with 5:39 left in the first.

Cape Central scored its only touchdown on an impressive drive to open the second half.

Jamelle Austin took it into the end zone on a nice cutback from 9 yards out to complete a seven-play, 52-yard drive

Austin finished the game with 98 yards on 17 carries, while Central's offense compiled just 145 yards of total offense.

Oakville, meanwhile, was led by Bridges' 138 yards on 17 carries. Scott Wiese ran the ball 21 times for 93 yards. Oakville managed 210 total rushing yards and 242 yards of offense.

Central's defense came up big on several situations. Casey Mueller, in particular, came up big several times, including two sacks and a fumble recovery. Justin Welker also caused several problems in Oakville's backfield.

But Central's offense failed to move the ball, managing 10 first downs. Central also fumbled the ball five times (losing one), and was the victim of five quarterback sacks for minus-16 yards. Central also had a reverse go for minus-27 yards.

Central's quarterbacks, starter Jeff Dunaway and reserve T.J. Erlacker combined to complete 8 of 19 passes for 33 yards. Central's longest passing play was 11 yards and the longest run was 17.

"We just couldn't get it going, I don't know what to tell you," said Brookins. "It's hard to put your finger on any one point, any one individual or any one group. We show sparks at times, then at other times we don't."

Central travels to Graves County, Ky. next Friday night.

Friday's Games

Oakville 17, Cape Central 6

Dyersburg, Tenn. 26, Jackson 14

Scott City 20, Perryville 6

Chaffee 38, Portageville 32

Herculaneum 20, St. Vincent 14

New Madrid 39, Charleston 0

Poplar Bluff 33, Sikeston 16

Dexter 28, Malden 6

Kennett 42, Hayti 6

Caruthersville 26, Ripley, Tenn. 14

Thayer 39, East Prairie 0

Anna-Jonesboro 22, Sparta 7

Eldorado 42, Cairo 12

Today's Game

Farmington at Fredericktown, 2 p.m.