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Tigers light up scoreboard in 54-6 rout of Central
The Nevada Tigers ran roughshod over visiting Central High School in a non-conference matchup Friday night at Logan Field. The 54-6 wipeout of (Springfield) Central improved Nevada to 2-4 overall (1-4 West Central Conference).
The Tigers entered the game having scored just 55 points on the season, but were able to hang 47 on Central in the first half. Central (0-6), entered the contest allowing 56 points per game on the season.
"It was real important that we got off to a good start and continued to be consistent," NHS head coach Erik Yoakam said during his postgame radio interview. "And really, that's the first time we've done it all year."
The touchdown spree began on Nevada's opening drive, when Braxton Shadden's 24-yard touchdown scamper capped a 5-play 52 yard drive. After the missed extra point, NHS led 6-0.
Special teams played a key factor early, as a Peyton Denney blocked punt had Nevada back in business at its own 45-yard line. On first down, senior running back Payton Bright swept left, cutback and accelerated upfield, finally being brought down at the Central 10-yard line after a pickup of 45-yards.
On first-and-goal, junior tailback Zach Gardner found paydirt after the NHS offensive line opened up a big hole on the left side. Gardner then punched in the two-point conversion, handing the Tigers a 14-0 advantage with 8:22 showing on the first quarter clock.
On its third possession, NHS junior quarterback Braeden Hinton turned a broken play into a 57-yard completion to Shadden, as the junior running back was finally brought down by free safety Dehshawn Vaughn at the 4-yard line.
Hinton punctuated the drive with a 4-yard quarterback keeper as he sailed across the goal line. With the extra point sailing wide right, Nevada led 20-0.
Nevada found itself quickly back in possession after NHS junior linebacker Shawn Thornburg recovered a fumble coughed up by Central quarterback Danny Adams at the Bulldogs 10-yard line.
On third-and-goal from the 7-yard line, Hinton dropped back and lofted a touch-pass softly into the air that was hauled in by a diving Shelby Trotter in the back right corner of the end zone. Gardner then bulldozed his way in on the 2-point conversion, staking the Tigers to a 28-0 lead with 4:15 remaining in the first quarter.
After taking back over on offense, Adams was picked off by senior cornerback Cameron Diaz, who outran all defenders down the left sideline en route to the his second defensive touchdown of the season. With the extra point off-target, Nevada held a 34-0 lead with 3:22 to play in the first.
Adams, who flashed a strong arm, was again intercepted, this time by Shadden. The Tigers wasted little time capitalizing on Shadden's pick, as Bright broke off a 20-yard touchdown run with 1:21 to go in the first. The extra point put Nevada up 41-0.
"(Central) is the type of team that if you give them any breathing room, any hope, they're going to run with it," Yoakam said. "And our kids did a good job of not doing that."
Midway through the second quarter, Jacob Hammontree, who starts at safety and backs up Hinton at quarterback, led Nevada on a long drive, racking up 59 yards on the ground, with the payoff coming on a 4-yard touchdown run around the right edge, as the Tigers lead ballooned to 47-0.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Nevada's starting junior varsity quarterback Jaren Powrie tacked on to the lead with a 30-yard touchdown run.
For Nevada, Bright racked up 100 yards on the ground, while Hammontre chipped in 73.
Up next
The Tigers travel to Kansas for a matchup with De Soto High School, Sept. 30, with kick off set for 7 p.m.