OH MY GOSH!!!! CENTRAL WINS!!!!

It was Brother Martin all over again.  The Wildcats pull out the win with a hail mary pass with zero time remaining on the clock.  CHS 29 – Ouachita 28.

Central jumped out to a 13-0 lead and carried a nine point lead into halftime, 16-7.  In the second half Central and Ouachita traded touchdowns, 23-14.  Then Ouachita put up 14 unanswered points and led 28-23 with 21 seconds remaining in the game.  Central took the ensuing kickoff back to the 38 and followed with an 18 yard hook and ladder play to the Ouachita 44.  With 9 seconds remaining in the game the Briscoe to Briscoe bomb for a go ahead score missed by inches.

In one last shot at the win, Central snapped the ball with less than 2 seconds on the clock, Briscoe heaved the hail mary pass into the end zone where it was met by a mass of receivers and defenders just inside the goal line.  The ball was tipped up by one or more defenders and was hauled in by Hebert right at the goal line and when the dust cleared he was in the end zone for six points and the 29-28 win with no time remaining.  I am certain that a video replay will add better details, but that is how it looked from the stands.

Tonight’s stats can be seen at these links:  GAME STATS   SEASON STATS

Had Central lost, I would be trying hard to write this article without referencing the officiating.  Central was penalized 154 yards to Ouachita’s 33 yards.  Many of Central’s penalties kept Ouachita scoring drives alive.  Please note that I am not saying any of the calls were bad, nor do I claim that they were all correct.  I will leave those judgement calls to the Saturday morning quarterbacks.  I do, however, believe that officiating should control a game but not be a “part” of the game.  However, with Central prevailing, no matter how precariously, I will have no need to even bring up the role the striped guys played tonight.

So, on the heels of this win, Central moves on to the State Quarterfinals where they will travel to New Iberia next Friday to face Westgate, ranked #21, who upset #5 South Lafourche tonight.  A win against Westgate would bring the State Semifinal game to Wildcat Stadium to face the winner of #1 Archbishop Rummel and #8 Hahnville.  The winner of that game would head to the Superdome.

But not so fast.  Tonight’s near-death-experience and unlikely comeback are evidence that “on any given Friday” any team can beat any other team, especially at this stage in the playoffs.  Central is certainly a great football team, but that will have to be proven over again each Friday night.  So here is where you come in: Plan on showing Westgate how Central travels.  Watch this site for updates on travel plans for the Central fans, directions, and suggestions.  Come to Cajun territory and help the Wildcats earn a spot in the SemiFinals.