Trip to 'The Dome' a reward for years of work for Central football players

Editor's note: This story has been changed to correct the score of Central's state semifinal loss to Webb City last year.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- Forty-four Central football players walked into the locker room at halftime Friday night with only one thing on their minds.

"The Dome," Central senior defensive lineman DeAndre Banks said. "That was the only thing in our heads. Make history, get to The Dome. Win, win."

The lingering thought turned into reality after the Tigers overpowered St. Charles West in the second half of a Class 4 semifinal and clawed their way to the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, where they'll compete in the school's first state title game with a 42-21 win over the Warriors.

For a football program that played its first game in 1912, the shot at a state crown has been long overdue.

"Central's been a school for over 100 years, and we're the only team to make it this far," Central senior Josh Morse said. "That's something special."

But on Friday night, emotions left most of the team's seniors searching for something to say that might truly encompass the moment.

Central's Braion Owens looks for an opening in the third quarter of the Class 4 semifinal against St. Charles West Friday, Nov. 21, 2014 in St. Charles, Missouri. (Glenn Landberg)

"There are no words to explain it. It's just, awesome," Central senior Josh Jones said. "We're a family. Determination and hard work pays off. This was one of our main goals. We started small as conference champs, then districts. Now we're going to try and go for state."

The Tigers' best season in school history started with its first regular-season test on Aug. 22, amidst hot and humid conditions at Tuskegee Airmen Field in St. Louis. It was then that the Tigers, an unpolished team full of first-year defensive players, showed their first traces of success in a 44-34 win against Vashon.

Junior wide receiver Al Young said the team learned a valuable lesson that night.

"We've learned since that Vashon game to never let up," Young said. "... When we get up, just keep giving it to them, no matter what team we play."

It was only the start of good things to come for Central, which rattled off impressive victories against St. Charles West, Sikeston and Poplar Bluff to begin the season 4-0.

"We've been building every week. Coach tells us to get better every week, and we've made it," Central senior linebacker Jordan Franklin said. "We've built every single week since as we've come along on this long journey."

Perhaps the biggest lesson for Central came in Week 5 when the Tigers let a 16-point halftime lead slip away in a 32-22 road loss to Ladue Horton Watkins.

Central coach Nathan Norman referred to the loss as a "turning point" for the rest of the season.

"They kind of flipped the switch and started doing the little things better and practicing better," Norman said. "We really, really started coming on after that game, and the kids have gotten so much better."

The Tigers immediately bounced back the following week by taking control of the SEMO Conference North title with a stunning 31-21 victory over Jackson.

Two weeks later, Central suffered its second loss of the season in a 40-0 decision against Chaminade on a rainy night in St. Louis.

Since then, the Tigers have been nothing short of impressive, winning six straight en route to a 12-2 record.

"It's a blessing. It's been a dream since forever," Banks said. "We saw everyone play when they were in high school, and now it's our time. Nobody's ever done this, so to make history and be a part of it, it's great."

"We've had this same goal since seventh-grade year at junior high football," Central senior running back Braion Owens said. "To get to state our senior year, it's just a great feeling to finally achieve it."

Norman took over the Tigers' program in 2011, picking up the pieces of a program that lost more than it could handle. Central finished 6-3 in Norman's first season and 5-7 his second before the Tigers wrapped up a 9-5 campaign last year with a 46-0 loss to Webb City in the state semifinals.

In his fourth season, Norman has taken Central one step further.

"I'm so proud of how they've bought into the program as sophomores and freshmen when we had them young," Norman said. "They've worked in the weight room and done everything we've asked, and they've gotten better. Then this year, they've really bought into the game plan and the philosophy."

But one player in particular couldn't help but recognize Friday night's mystique.

Senior quarterback Peyton Montgomery provided one of the missing links for this year's team -- a skilled quarterback that could add a new wrinkle to an already skilled offense.

Montgomery led Chaffee to one of its most historic seasons a year ago. Now he's doing the same for the Tigers.

"We've come a long way. We've gained a lot of chemistry and worked after practice on routes," he said. "... We had one vision, and when a team has one vision, it's hard to stop. Even our freshmen and sophomores, they want it as bad as us juniors and seniors.

"We're a team with one heartbeat."