Centerville Tigers rally to nip Bison in JV gridiron action

D.J. Jackson evades a Tiger tackler. Both Bison and Tigers fans found plenty to cheer about in the JV match-up on Thursday evening at CHS, but in the end it was Centerville with the most to cel- ebrate as the Tigers pulled off a comefrom behind win over the Bison.

CHS' Ryan Paine was quarterbacking the Tigers as the contest began. After completing a pass to Aaron Wolcott, the Tigers coughed up the ball and Buffalo recovered at the 4-yardline.

Buffalo's QB Austin Rayborn took his team and went to work. David Rodriguez and D.J. Jackson each carried for first down yardage, but the Tiger "D", led by Rowdy Dodson and Carlos Villareal, toughened up. On 4th-and-long BHS suffered a fumble on the reverse which snuffed the drive at the end of the first quarter.

Buffalo's defenders also put up a wall and CHS was soon punting. Rodriguez, Travis Cunningham and D.J. Jackson all had good carries as the Bison drove for the endzone. Rayborn delivered on 4th-and-one to keep the drive alive inside the Red Zone. Cunningham scored the first touchdown of the game, punching it in from the 2-yd-line. He carried on the successful PAT as well, and BHS led 8-0 with 2:34 left in the first half.

QB Austin Rayborn waits for the snap near the goal line. Van’Go’photos Centerville's "O" could not get in gear on the next series. Jackson delivered a big sack to set up Ryan Payne's punt, which was covered by Gustavo Montano, seeing action for the first time since an earlier injury. Buffalo quickly coughed the ball up on a fumble, recovered for Centerville by Dodson. This time the Tigers went to the air and found pay dirt on a TD pass from Garrett Chase to Ryan Payne. The extra point attempt was intercepted and BHS maintained a slim lead, 8-6.

With only seconds left in the half, BHS' #3 took the kickoff and was heading for the end zone, but Wolcott came through with a touchdown saving tackle at the 27.

The Bison came roaring out in the second half. Jackson was the workhorse on the ground and Rayborn carried for Buffalo's second TD. Calvin Young added two points on the PAT and the Bison had stretched their lead to 14-6.

Buffalo forced a punt and got the ball back early in the fourth quarter. The Tiger defense also held BHS to three-and-out, and a high snap sailed over the punter and Centerville ended up with the ball at the Buffalo 30-yard-line. From there Paine went in for the TD. A PAT pass attempt was just off the fingertips of the receiver, but CHS had closed the gap to 14-12.

On Buffalo's next drive, Rayborn broke tackles to pick up a first, but the Tiger "D" forced a fumble and Villareal recovered for CHS. They capitalized with a solid drive highlighted by a 43-yard gain by Court Harris to the 20. A pass play got the Tigers to the 1-ft line, with Marcus Mata on the stop. With 0:29 left on the game clock, Chase went in for the go-ahead touchdown. A bad snap cost the Tigers the PAT, but they held the lead 18-14.

In the final moments Tate Hartley saw his first action of the season, coming in at quarterback to try to orchestra a final Bison drive. He completed a pass to Cunningham who got out of bounds in Tiger Territory with 0:15 left, but that was all the CHS defense would allow and the Tigers held on to take the win.

This week the Bison sub-varsity teams host Trinity on Thursday at Brewer Field. Centerville travels to Corrigan Camden on the 29th.