TIGERS END HOME SKID

Cape Girardeau Central High's football team has its sights set squarely on a major turnaround season and, if Friday night's performance is any indication, the Tigers may well be on their way.

The Tigers, who struggled to a 1-9 record last year, opened the 2000 campaign with an impressive 35-0 whipping of St. Charles West in front of an appreciative and enthusiastic gathering or orange-clad Central supporters at Houck Stadium.

Central snapped an 11-game home losing streak, the Tigers' previous home victory coming during the 1997 season. Central also recorded its first shutout since the opening game of that '97 campaign.

"We needed this," said Central senior tight end/defensive end Justin Welker with a smile. "We're due. It's our turn."

Welker said the Tigers worked extremely hard over the summer and they have no doubt that this season is going to produce good things.

"We did everything we could over the summer, and I've never been around a team like this. We're family," he said. "It's going to be a turnaround year."

Central coach Lawrence Brookins likes that kind of talk, because he believes it as well.

"These seniors really paid their dues as juniors. This is a good start for us, something to build on," Brookins said. "The kids are hungry. We were really focused on getting off to a good start."

Said senior tailback Jamell Austin, who rushed for 176 yards on 21 carries and scored on a dazzling 68-yard scamper, "It's been three years since we've won a home game. I think this is a good start to a great season."

Austin keyed a dominating rushing attack that ground out 342 yards, 225 coming in the second half. But he was quick to praise his offensive line of tight end Welker and the front five of Eric Niswonger, Jason Beard, Justin Wells, Nathaniel Brink and Octavius Moore.

"I'm just proud of the offensive line," said Austin. "They opened some great holes."

The game was actually much more competitive than the final score indicates because Central led just 7-0 at halftime before the Tigers finally wore down the Warriors in the second half, and Central iced the victory with three touchdowns during a 93-second span late in the contest.

"I think we wore them down," said Brookins. "Our kids are in really good shape. Even through all the heat, we haven't backed down. We've continued to work."

Sophomore tailback Monroe Hicks was also impressive with 87 yards on 13 carries.

Central finished with 354 yards of total offense while St. Charles West had just 97 yards, including only 30 yards in the second half.

"The shutout was important to us," Welker said. "We really wanted it."

After most of the first half was scoreless, the Tigers finally broke on top with 3:30 left before the intermission as senior fullback O.J. Turner went over from 1 yard out to cap an 11-play, 68-yard march. Brian Emmendorfer tacked on the first of his five conversion kicks and Central led 7-0 at the break.

With just 2:02 left in the third quarter, Austin broke off his impressive 68-yard run as the Tigers opened up some breathing room. The diminutive Austin -- who is only 5-feet-5 -- appeared to be trapped by two defenders around the line of scrimmage, but he juked his way out of that jam and then outran the rest of the defense to the end zone, making it 14-0.

Central then iced things with its fourth-quarter explosion. Turner scored from 3 yards out with 5:10 left to cap a 12-play, 72-yard drive and make it 21-0.

Chris Daniel then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and reserve back Ben Carter scored from 1 yard out with 3:51 left as Central went ahead 28-0.

On the next kickoff, the Warriors fumbled again and Moore recovered. Senior T.J. Erlacker, a starting wide receiver who came in at quarterback to relieve senior starter Jeff Dunaway, broke off a 19-yard TD run with 3:37 left to complete the scoring.

Central will have a tough test next Friday, visiting New Madrid County Central.