Tigers notch 27-7 victory over Bluff

Central prepared for Friday's district football game with Poplar Bluff by bringing in two guest speakers -- Southeast Missouri State professor Dr. Tim Rademacker and Southeast baseball coach Mark Hogan -- and having scout team running back Garrett New impersonate Todd Tinsley all week.

Whatever works.

Central (2-6) stopped Tinsley and the Mules in a 27-7 victory at Houck Stadium that makes Thursday's battle with West Plains (4-4) at Houck the potential district title game.

The Tigers, who were limited to fewer than 20 yards of offense last week, broke out two unusual plays while running back Brandon Twiggs did his usual thing against the Mules (2-6). Twiggs ran for 112 yards on 23 carries and scored three touchdowns, including one on a middle screen pass that covered 61 yards.

"It seems like Brandon Twiggs has a thing for Poplar Bluff," Central coach Lawrence Brookins said. "He's been nicked up this year, and he played with a lot of heart tonight."

Twiggs, who rushed for more than 200 yards last year in Central's district-deciding win against Poplar Bluff, credited his offensive line for opening the holes Friday.

As for beating Bluff, he said, "We seem to be the underdog when we play them and we wanted to prove that no matter what happened in the past, it's what happens in the game now."

Central manhandled Poplar Bluff's offense by limiting Tinsley to 42 yards and rushing and keeping the Mules passing game under 100 yards.

After missing a field goal on its first possession, the Mules' only score was a 2-yard run by Tinsley in the third quarter that immediately followed a bad snap on a Central punt.

When it looked like the Tigers, who built a 20-0 halftime lead by halftime, might crack, Central quarterback Garrett Stevens hooked up with Twiggs on the screen play that went the distance.

"That was the first screen pass in two or three years that we ran efficiently," Brookins said. "We got bodies on bodies for the first time in a long time."

Twiggs had opened scoring with a 46-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He added a 5-yard run late in the second period.

Central scored its second touchdown on a flea-flicker flanker reverse where Tyrone Reece ended up throwing a 13-yard pass to a wide-open Ty Craft.