J. Johnson passed for one touchdown and ran for another as Central improved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in District A-6. David Drake's extra-point kick in overtime was the difference in the outcome after the Tigers turned back a two-point conversion attempt by Savanna on the final play of the night.
The visitors had pulled within a point on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Taylor McBain to Reedis James. Savanna opted to go for two points and the win and lined up in the swinging gate formation. McBain ran the ball but Central's Jake Lineberry made the biggest tackle of the game to stop him inches from the goal-line.
"We called a time-out when we saw them in the swinging gate. Then they came right back with it nd I don't blame them, because they let their quarterback roll out with the option to run or pass. We make contact at the one and he reaches forward right at the goal-line. The officials got together for a conference and finally they said it was no good," said Central head coach Wade Couch. "I think I aged about 15 years in that short time."
The game was a defensive struggle as both offenses were held under 200 total yards. However, Central scored first when Johnson passed 16 yards to tight end Dillon Caughman to make it 6-0 with 9:10 left in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs pulled even after halftime, scoring on their first possession of the third quarter. McBain got the touchdown with an eight-yard pass to Tyler Inman, but the conversion attempt was stuffed by Central's defense.
Savanna did not threaten again in regulation and failed to get inside the Tigers' 30 yard-line the rest of the game. Central, though, had a couple of chances to score, including a fourth-and-one play from the Savanna 23 with 10 seconds left. Under heavy pressure from the Bulldog pass rush, Johnson's pass fell incomplete and the game went into overtime.
Central had the ball first in OT and a Savanna penalty gave the Tigers a first down at the five-yard line. On third-and-goal from inside the one-yard line, Johnson found the end zone on a quarterback iso play. Drake kicked the extra point to give Central a 13-6 lead.
Savanna answered on the first play of its series, scoring on McBain's touchdown pass to James before getting stopped on its two-point conversion attempt.
The Tiger defense was led by noseguard Brandon Shockey with 10 tackles. Cornerback Kyler Ekberg made seven tackles while four others-Curtis Hall, Dalton Campbell, Bubba Dickens and Lineberry-all had five stops. Dickens had two sacks and the Tigers got interceptions from Hall and Blake Rogers.
"I haven't seen our defense play so well in the years I've been here," Couch said of the performance.
McBain led Savanna with 74 yards rushing on 21 carries and he was 12-of-26 passing for 71 yards.
Johnson was Central's top rusher with 48 yards on 25 attempts. Colton Coleman ran three times for 22 yards and Travis Cullum picked up 14 yards on four runs.
Through the air, Johnson completed 7-of-14 passes for 91 yards with no interceptions. Caughman caught three balls for 51 yards, Coleman had three receptions for 26 yards and Dickens caught a 14-yarder.
Johnson also made an impact as the Tigers' punter, averaging 39.8 yards on four kicks including efforts of 46 and 42 yards in the second half.
"And those 40-yarders were massive for us because they pinned Savanna back," said Couch.
Savanna dropped to 1-1 with the loss and the Bulldogs are now 0-1 in District A-6.
