Centerburg football coach Andy Colella chuckled at the thought of sweating another knock-down, drag-out contest. The Trojans play this type of game on a weekly basis at this point, and it was no different in a 34-26 win at Highland on Friday night.
“This is getting too normal for us,” Colella quipped.
With someone new stepping up to make the big play on a weekly basis, it was Ian McKnight this time.
With Centerburg down 26-20 in the fourth quarter, the senior lineman slipped through the middle of the line to block an Eli Grandstaff punt, giving Centerburg possession on Highland’s 15-yard line.
“We needed to change the momentum and he stepped up and he did that,” Colella said. “We’ve been really consistent on special teams, but we’ve never really had a big-swing play. And that was it today. It was huge.”
“We’ve been in this situation before, being down,” McKnight said. “Our team is just fighters. We just won’t lose.”
But nothing comes easy.
Tyler Johnson completed a short pass to Donnell Marshall, who picked up just enough yards on the fourth-and-6 play to keep the drive alive. Johnson scored on a keeper from 11 yards out; and with Dominic Vargo’s extra point, the Trojans (4-0, 3-0) led 27-26 with 4:24 remaining.
Johnson added a 29-yard pick-six to account for the final score.
But Highland wasn't done making Centerburg sweat. Kadin Johnson hooked up with Landyn Albanese for 46 yards and the Scots got as close as Centerburg’s 25 in the final minute. But the Trojans got a sack by Trey Kendrick before Tyler Johnson stepped in front of a receiver for another interception to seal the game.
“It’s a tough loss,” Jones said. “(Centerburg is) a heck of a team. We knew it was going to be a battle coming in and it was a battle.”
Kendrick finished with a team-high eight tackles, including 2.5 for-loss and McKnight had 5.5 tackles for the Trojans.
Highland gave Centerburg all it could handle. Dane Nauman rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown.
“He’s a big back; he’s a freshman and he’s still learning the process,” Jones said. “Dane was able to give (Cody Matthews) a breather tonight and he did a nice job.”
Kadin Johnson threw for 247 yards on 11 of 28 passing. His one touchdown came on a 91-yard fly pattern that was caught in stride by Landon Remmert, and the Scots led 20-7 with 10:13 left in the first half. Remmert caught five passes for 126 yards.
Wyatt Hornsby had two interceptions on consecutive possessions late in the first half. A penalty stunted the drive after the first pick, and the half ended one play after the second.
Gavin Hankins intercepted a Jack Gregory ball on the first possession of the second half. But the Scots (2-2, 2-2) went three-and-out on the ensuing possession.
“We got three turnovers there and we didn’t capitalize,” Jones said. “That hurt us for sure; we’ve gotta do a better job on that.”
Tyler Johnson took over at quarterback and led the Trojans on a seven-play, 68-yard drive that ended in a Donnell Marshall 16-yard run to tie the game 20-20. Marshall finished with 111 yards on 21 carries and two scores.
“(Tyler Johnson) is a player, no doubt,” Colella said. “We just needed a change (at quarterback). It really wasn’t working there and those things happen sometimes. We’re fortunate to have a guy that can step in there and get it done. He’s just a heck of a football player.”
Nauman broke runs of 25- and 21-yards to set up a Kadin Johnson 2-yard touchdown run to put the Scots in front 26-20 at the 2:46 mark of the third quarter.
Chandler Stevens had a game-high nine tackles, 3.5 for-loss and a sack, and Hornsby had 6.5 tackles to go with his two picks to lead Highland.
Centerburg, which remains the only undefeated team in the KMAC, hosts Cardington-Lincoln next week; while Highland is slated to travel to Danville. Both league meetings are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.
