Central wins homecoming game, sets sights on Gore

Central is sitting pretty with a 4-2 record and 2-1 mark in district play after its 42-14 win over Porter in Friday‚s homecoming game, and the Tigers will rely on much the same gameplan that‚s been working for them when they travel to No. 1 Gore for a 7 p.m. Thursday kickoff.

Head coach Jeremy Thompson was pleased with the Tigers‚ output during their game Friday and their ability to contain the Porter offense, and that they were able to attack with a balanced offense.

“I felt like offensively we were really balanced with our run game and passing game,” Thompson recalled. “I think that overall it was one of our better offensive performances. We ran the ball well, we threw it well and we want to continue to keep getting better on that side of the football.

“We were well balanced across the board. I was really pleased. I thought that the offensive line played really well this week. Those guys up front, they keep getting better every week. I was just very pleased overall.

“On the defensive side, we played really well again. It was just a good game on both sides of the ball. We‚re excited. We‚re going into a big week against Gore, a big district matchup. We want to just continue to get better, because every week the games just keep getting bigger and more meaningful.”

Against Porter, Joseph Lee had 14 carries for 121 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, as well as 50 yards passing with a touchdown in the air, going 6 for 13. Coy Blackburn had 30 carries for 160 yards rushing, with two touchdowns and one reception for 10 yards. Hunter Pack had two carries for 40 yards, Isaac Rogers had four receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown, and Cade Tucker snared one reception for five yards.

The Tigers‚ leading defenders were Connor Green with nine tackles and a fumble recovery; Coy Blackburn with seven tackles; Xhaiden Mosby, Tyler Bush and Josh Marino with six tackles each; and Gibby Mitchell with a fumble recovery.

Traveling to Gore to face the Pirates for possibly the toughest game of the season, the Tigers are not going to change much, and instead focus on what works, like stopping the run, tackling, turnovers and blocking.

“We‚ve got to stop their run game,” Thompson said of Gore. “They do run the ball really well, good offensive line, running back and quarterback, so defensively we‚ve got to tackle well, come off the football. Offensively, just keep doing what we‚re doing, control the clock and don‚t turn it over.”