Centreville outlasts Brookhaven on the road

Southern Sports & Travel

The stage was set for a Class AA battle between top ranked Centreville and fourth ranked Brookhaven from R.M. “Red” Stuart Field on the campus of Brookhaven Academy on Friday night and the act that followed was reminiscent of a well done sequel or curtain call following any well done performance in the theatre.

When Brookhaven took a 35-33 lead with just under four minutes remaining in regulation on Friday night chatter on the sidelines amongst fans began to reference 2009 and the epic classic that took place on the same field and resulted in a Brookhaven 57-56 double overtime win that halted Centreville’s quest for their third straight Class AA title.

While the stakes weren’t as high the setting had all the trappings and intensity of a playoff game between the two squads and came eerily close to equaling that game in 2009.

In the end Centreville broke a string of three straight losses at Brookhaven and pulled out a 41-35 win to remain undefeated and improve to 6-0 as they now look to begin preparations for a week seven matchup at home against Adams Christian.

(Above) Centreville tailback Mark Curry (#23) follows Tiger blockers

Centreville got the start they had hoped for on Friday night as they forced Brookhaven’s offense into a quick three and out on the opening possession of the game and marched 58 yards in just four plays to take an early 6-0 lead on Randy Bell’s 1 yard dive. Brock Andrus added the PAT to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 10:03 left in the opening quarter.

Brookhaven answered the Tiger score with a five play, 80 yard drive that was capped on a 21 yard burst off the right side by junior tailback Landon Nettles at the 8:46 mark. The Cougars failed on the PAT.

In what would be a wild first quarter of play Centreville took the ensuing kick-off and pounded out a classic Tiger drive that went 76 yards in nine plays and was culminated  on another Randy Bell score, this time from 13 yards out with 5:18 left in the quarter. Andrus added the PAT to extend Centreville’s lead to 14-6.

Just 22 seconds later the game was knotted at 14-14.

Landon Nettles took a first down hand off from the Cougar 23 yard line and plowed his way over the left side and dashed 77 yards to pay-dirt and wide-out Seth Rushing took a reverse in for a successful two point conversion to tie things up with nearly five minutes still left in the quarter.

(Above) Brookhaven's Landon Nettles (#33) rushed for 184 yards & 2 touchdowns

Before Brookhaven fans could enjoy the score Centreville’s offense was on the move again. Senior tailback Colton Terrell ripped off a 49 yard run on first down all the way to the Cougar 24 yard line and three plays later Terrell went in from 8 yards to cap a four play drive that burned up just 1:27. Andrus added his third PAT of the quarter to give the top ranked Tigers a 21-14 edge.

Brookhaven finished the quarter strong as senior quarterback Gage Posey put the Centreville defense on their heels with precision passing and scrambling in getting to the Cougar 49 yard line. That was followed by a 15 yard personal foul on Centreville to advance the Cougars to the Centreville 34 yard line as the opening quarter closed but Brookhaven would stall out and give up the football when Centreville defensive back Jake Darden broke up a Posey pass attempt on fourth down less than one minute into the second quarter.

Centreville capitalized and mounted a 67 yard, six play drive that paid dividends when Randy Bell went in from 11 yards out at the 8:35 mark. Andrus would miss on the PAT but Centreville had taken their biggest lead at 27-14.

Brookhaven appeared to have cut into that 13 point deficit on the seventh play of their next possession as Matthew Evans darted in from 25 yards out but a illegal procedure infraction wiped out the score. The Cougars were bitten once again by a yellow flag and it proved to be just as costly. Gage Posey scrambled 27 yards to score but a holding penalty negated a sensational scramble and run by the southpaw signal-caller.

Brookhaven compounded the error prone drive with a mishandled snap on a punt attempt and gave Centreville possession at mid-field with 4:45 left in the half.

Centreville slowly pushed their way to the Cougar 2 yard line where they spiked the football to kill the clock at 9 seconds. A Casey Haygood pass attempt to wide-out Colby Shaw was long in the back of the end zone and with four seconds remaining the Brookhaven defense stopped Colton Terrell for no gain to end the Centreville threat and the half with the Tigers holding a 27-14 advantage.

(Above) Randy Bell (#13) of Centreville rushed for 194 yards and 4 touchdowns

Centreville threatened to blow the game open with a six play, 57 yard drive to open the second half as Colton Terrell busted in from 13 yards out at the 9:31 mark. Centreville’s two point attempt would fail but the Tigers had taken their biggest lead of the night at 33-14.

Brookhaven appeared deflated as they lost four yards on their opening offensive possession of the second half but the Cougar defense began showing signs of strengthening.

Brookhaven got back into it with a six play, 66 yard scoring drive that was set up by a Posey to Seth Rushing 46 yard hookup to the Tiger 20 yard line. Posey would cap the drive four plays later with a 9 yard touchdown run and a successful Kevin Nettles PAT cut the deficit to 33-21 with 1:06 left in the quarter.

Brookhaven would quickly regain possession as senior Will Hickman recovered a Centreville fumble on the ensuing kickoff to set the Cougar offense up at the Tiger 33 yard line with 59 seconds left in the third quarter.

Facing a fourth and 13 from the Centreville 36 yard line Gage Posey connected with wide-out Ross Foreman at the Tiger 20 yard line to extend the drive and close out the quarter.

Four plays later Posey ran in from five yards out to narrow the Centreville lead to six points at 33-27 with 10:38 remaining in regulation. Centreville blocked the PAT attempt.

The momentum shift continued as Centreville found themselves mistake prone. The Tigers managed just six yards out to their own 34 yard line on their next possession and were flagged for two penalties but disaster struck as a high snap sailed over punter Randy Bell’s head and a mad scramble ensued to recover the football. Bell was ultimately successful in batting the football out of the end zone and avoiding a Brookhaven touchdown but the Cougars climbed two points closer at 33-29 in forcing a safety.

Centreville appeared to have stopped the bleeding after defensive end Frasier Hogan recovered a fumble at the Brookhaven 48 yard line on the free kick following the safety but the Brookhaven defense held court.

(Above) Two Brookhaven defensive players deliver a crunching hit on a Tiger tailback

The Cougar defense stopped Tiger tailback Randy Bell on a fourth and 7 run at the Brookhaven 26 yard line with 5:31 remaining and the Cougars wasted little time in grabbing their first lead of the night.

Two plays into the drive Gage Posey hit senior wide-out Matthew Evans for 51 yards to the Centreville 11 yard line and Posey then hit Seth Rushing with a perfectly thrown pass and catch in the corner of the end zone to give the Cougars a go-ahead score. The PAT attempt failed but Brookhaven had taken a 35-33 lead with 3:51 remaining in the contest.

Centreville looked out of gas and shocked as they took the Cougar kick-off out to the Tiger 38 yard line with 3:44 left to set up one last drive.

A Colton Terrell first down carry resulted in a two yard loss as a fired up Brookhaven defense got to the tailback rapidly but on second and 12 the unexpected happened as sophomore quarterback Casey Haygood calmly dropped back and connected with Terrell for 38 yards to the Brookhaven 26 yard line.

“Coach Stutzman made an excellent call on that play,” said Centreville head coach Bill Hurst.

Randy Bell exploded for a quick 10 yards to the Cougar 16 yard line and the senior tailback added another 9 yards on the next carry that pushed the line of scrimmage to the Brookhaven 7 yard line.

Centreville completed the five play, 62 yard drive when Bell scored his fourth touchdown of the night on the next play.

Bell then converted on the two point attempt to give the Tigers a six point cushion at 41-35 with 1:43 remaining in regulation.

Brookhaven managed to advance to the Centreville 48 yard line in the closing seconds but a hook and lateral play would be stopped at the Tiger 32 yard line as time expired.

Top ranked Centreville improved to 6-0 and piled up 416 yards on the ground led by Randy Bell’s 194 yards and 4 touchdowns on 27 carries.

“Our offensive line did a great job tonight,” said Bell. “This game and the Parklane game were the two most physical of the season. This is a big win for us because we want home field for the playoffs and it’s also a big momentum boost having Coach Hurst back on the sidelines.”

Centreville tailback Colton Terrell added 173 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries on the ground.
Brookhaven quarterback Gage Posey went 14/26 for 215 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 46 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Tailback Landon Nettles racked up 184 yards and 2 touchdowns on 18 carries for the Cougars who slip to 3-3.

Brookhaven will host Oak Forest next week.

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Post game with Centreville head coach Bill Hurst

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