Central Private capitalized on a turnover on Silliman’s first possession. With the Wildcats facing a 3rd and 7 from their own 11 yard line senior defensive back Kerry Burns picked off a Trent Hornsby pass and returned it back to the Wildcat 11 yard line. One play later the Rebels were on the board as senior tailback Bobby Muse busted through the middle for 11 yards with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter to put Central Private up 7-0.
(Above) Central Private tailback Bobby Muse rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
Silliman looked ready to answer on their ensuing possession as tailback Landon Taylor went off left tackle for 44 yards all the way down to the Central Private 37 yard line. The drive stalled after the Rebel defense held Silliman to negative yards on three rushing attempts forcing Silliman to punt back at midfield.
Following a Central Private punt to end the opening quarter Silliman put together a threat after Nick Olinger hit the hole for 9 yards and Jake Parsons broke one for 16 yards as the Wildcats quickly found themselves at the Rebel 32 yard line. The Central Private defense would bend not break once again as they held Silliman on a 4th a 2 from the Rebel 24 yard line. Central Private’s defense held Silliman again on a 4th and 9 from the Central Private 43 with just over one minute remaining and took up shop with intentions of finishing the half with a score. That drive was halted by Silliman as Nick Olinger intercepted a Jason Young pass at the Wildcat 10 yard line to end the half with Central Private up 7-0.
(Above) Central Private QB Jason Young directed the Rebel offense
On Silliman’s opening possession of the second half they wasted little time moving the ball as Trent Hornsby hit Jake Parsons for a 39 yard pass giving the Wildcats a 1st down at the Rebel 23 yard line. After a loss of eight yards and a 5 yard motion penalty pushed the Wildcats back to the 37 yard line, Cody Donze got back 10 yards on a screen pass from Hornsby to the 27. Facing a 4th and 14 from the Central Private 27 yard line the Wildcats rolled the dice once again but a Hornsby pass was intercepted by senior defensive back Steven O’Bryant in the end-zone.
Central Private regained possession at their own 20 yard line and managed to move out to their 40 but stalled. After a Brandt Moore 40 yard punt pinned the Wildcats back on their 20 yard line Silliman went back to work again and quickly moved to the Central Private 44 yard line where the Rebel defense stiffened once again forcing Silliman to punt with two minutes left in the 3rd quarter. The Rebels took over at their own 20 but after two yards in three plays they called on Brandt Moore to punt once again to end the 3rd quarter with a 7-0 advantage.
(Above) Rebel linebacker Travis Richard (#44) with a late game sack on Trent Hornsby
In a hard hitting physical game there was still that feeling that something was about to break loose and it did on Silliman’s opening possession of the final quarter. After a Rebel punt, Silliman had good field position at the Central Private 49 yard line when Nick Olinger broke through the middle for a 7 yard gain that was extended by a horse-collar infraction by Central Private. The result gave the Wildcats the ball at the Rebel 27 yard line with just over 10 minutes left in the game. A five yard delay of game penalty pushed the ball back to the 32 and two plays later with Silliman facing a 2nd and 13, with a solid threat to tie the game, Central Private senior Seth Smith made the biggest play of the night as the linebacker intercepted a Trent Hornsby pass in the flat and returned it all the way down to the Wildcat 9 yard line.
(Above) Central Private tailback Bobby Muse stopped by Wildcat Jake Parsons (#32)
Central Private capitalized on a Bobby Muse one yard plunge three plays later as the Rebels took a 13-0 lead with 8:30 left in the game.
Silliman, after the kickoff, showed little quit as they promptly moved the ball to the Central Private 38 yard line but the trend that hampered them all night made no exception on their last possession of the game. With Silliman looking at a 2nd and 10 the game was all but sealed as Central Private linebacker Travis Richard nailed quarterback Trent Hornsby from his blindside for a loss of 10 yards knocking the junior signal caller from the game. Central Private regained possession and burned 4 minutes off the clock before punting back to the Wildcats. Three plays later Central Private recovered a Wildcat fumble at the Silliman 22 yard line with 1:27 left.
(Above) Silliman QB Trent Hornsby and head coach Joe MoockSilliman quarterback Taylor Hornsby went 7/13 for 115 yards and Landon Taylor ran for 54 yards on 12 carries.
Silliman had 231 total yards to Central Private’s 176.
Next up for Central Private (5-0 & 1-0) is a road trip to Natchez to face the #1 team in single A football, the Trinity Saints. Silliman (1-4 & 0-2) has an idle week.
