Vikings overwhelm Central in opener

~ Parkway Central scored 44 points in the first half and won 50-0

Parkway North scored more touchdowns than Central gained yards in the first half.

It was that sort of night for the Tigers.

Parkway North cruised to a 50-0 victory Thursday in the season opener for both teams at Houck Stadium.

"They just kept running the same play over and over again," Central senior Ray Woldtvedt said. "We weren't coming up and tackling the holes. We came out not the same way as we did at the jamboree."

The Vikings found the end zone six times in the first 24 minutes while the Tigers lost 5 yards on offense over that same span.

"They were just bringing everybody," Central quarterback Andrew Williams said of the Vikings' defense. "That's what it seemed like. They were big. They were more experienced on the line."

Parkway North used a three-pronged running attack to rumble over the Tigers' defense. Trent Powell scored three rushing touchdowns while Jaimee Buchanan added two and Robert Wilson one.

"It was hard work and the offensive line," Buchanan said.

Parkway North's three running backs combined for 288 yards on 26 carries, an 11-yard average. None of the three players touched the ball in the second half.

"It's a great feeling, for real," Buchanan said. "We've been working hard all summer. I think we came together as a team today and we want to win."

The Vikings managed to pad their rushing totals with some razzle-dazzle. All three running backs used jukes and spin-o-ramas to break tackles for bigger gains.

"You've got to be the aggressor," Central coach Rich Payne said of his team's poor tackling. "If you're not the aggressor, they're bringing the punch to you. Tonight, I think that's what happened. We were not aggressive, and they were the aggressor. We were catching people, and we were playing timid."

It helps to have a Division I-caliber talent on the offensive line. Anthony Gatti verbally committed to the University of Missouri last month, according to Nate Latsch of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"They did their assignments perfectly," Woldtvedt said of the Vikings' offensive line. "They just knew what they had to do and they did it."

Payne acknowledged Parkway North's offensive line's talent, but said his defense failed to show the intensity it exhibited during the preseason.

"They are big and strong, and they're a good offensive line," Payne said. "But at the same time, I don't think we executed our technique very well. We were very tentative up front. Not just up front, I think we were timid as a ballclub after about the first couple plays happened."

Troubled offense

Central's offense struggled to find a rhythm. The Tigers failed to cross midfield until the second half and the deepest they penetrated into Vikings territory was Parkway North's 43-yard line.

Central did have a little luck moving the ball with the pass after halftime.

"Nothing was really working for us so we figured come out and do our best to pass the ball," Williams said. "It started clicking a little bit so we just figured we'd stay with it."

Parkway North opened a 14-0 lead after one quarter but poured it on in the second. It started to get ugly when the Tigers snapped the ball through the end zone for a safety to make it 30-0. Parkway North scored on its first play after the free kick, a 45-yard jaunt by Powell.

Payne was most displeased with his team's lack of aggression in the ballgame. He said it was the opposite of what he'd seen since practice started earlier this month.

"At some point, and it was early in the contest, they didn't play with the same kind of effort and tenaciousness that I've seen out of these young men," Payne said. "That is one thing we will correct by next week because they have it in them. I saw it last Friday night."

The Vikings outgained the Tigers 398 to 15.

"We just lost focus in the first half," Woldtvedt said.

Central hits the road for its next two games, starting next week at New Madrid.

"This was a really good team," Williams said. "They overmatched us, and we have to forget about it."

Parkway North 14 30 0 6 -- 50

Central 0 0 0 0 -- 0

First Quarter

PN -- Trent Powell 1 run (Aaron Hummert kick), 7:29

PN -- Jaimee Buchanan 17 run (Hummert kick), 3:09

Second Quarter

PN -- Powell 3 run (Hummert kick), 9:59

PN -- Buchanan 9 run (Hummert kick), 5:43

PN -- Snap through end zone for safety, 4:12

PN -- Powell 45 run (Hummert kick), 3:57

PN -- Robert Wilson 9 run (Hummert kick), 1:29

Fourth Quarter

PN -- Joe Babitz 5 run (kick failed), 8:40

PN C

First downs 14 4

Rushes-yards 41-379 27-(minus) 33

Passing yards 19 48

Passes 2-5-0 7-12-0

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 4-1

Penalties-Yards 11-83 1-5

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Parkway North, Robert Wilson 10-74, Trent Powell 8-95, Jaimee Buchanan 8-119, James Hawkins 1-25, Steven Garth 4-13, Joe Babitz 2-11, Antwan White 2-5, Jayson Lerman 3-6, Jovonte Suber 1-7, Daniel Foster 1-26, Charles Harris 1-(minus) 2. Central, Tae Jenkins 5-13, Ray Woldtvedt 3-5, Keilon Moore 4-1, Terrance Howard 5-4, Eric Evans 3-(minus) 10, Andrew Williams 2-(minus) 13, Christian Cavaness 1-(minus) 6, Team 2-(minus) 31, Jayshon Johnson 2-2.

PASSING -- Parkway North, Culver Plant 2-5-19-0. Central, Andrew Williams 5-9-39-0, Christian Cavaness 2-3-9-0.

RECEIVING -- Parkway North, Dorian Hobbs 1-14, Robert Wilson 1-5. Central, Terrance Howard 4-18, Christian Cavaness 1-7, Zach Boerboom 1-18, Jarred Ritter 1-5.