News Archive 2006-07
Colonels rally for 17-14 win over Maryville
Senior quarterback Kevin Phelps (Leitchfield, Ky.) scored a late touchdown and junior defensive back John Perin (Cincinnati, Ohio) intercepted a pass deep in his own territory with less than a minute as the Centre College football team remained unbeaten with a 17-14 win over Maryville College, Saturday, Sept. 9, in Maryville, Tenn.
With the win, the Colonels improve to 2-0 in the early going, while Maryville drops to 1-1 on the year. It's the fifth time in the last six years Centre has started a season 2-0.
The Colonels jumped on the scoreboard early in the first quarter. On Marvyille's second play from scrimmage, sophomore linebacker Adam Hay (Cincinnati, Ohio) intercepted Justin Price's pass and returned the ball 24 yards to the Fighting Scots 13-yard line.
Two plays later, junior running back Nick Warren (Walton, Ky.) took the hand-off and ran 13 yards for his first touchdown of the season to put Centre ahead 7-0 with 13:10 left in the first quarter.
Later in the first quarter, Maryville took possession on its own 16-yard line following a Centre punt and an illegal block penalty on the Fighting Scots. Just over four minutes later, Price found Cedric McDonald for a 38-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at seven apiece.
The Colonels would add a 31- yard field goal by junior kicker Taylor Rockwell (Richmond, Va.) in the second quarter and the first half would end with Centre ahead 10-7.
On the half's opening kick-off, the Fighting Scots pulled some trickery recovering an onside kick on its own 46-yard line to start the second half. Maryville drove 54 yards on seven plays using 3:10 off the clock to take the lead with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Price to Joseph Bryant to give the Fighting Scots a 14-10 lead.
On the very next drive, the Colonels drove 67 yards on 11 plays, but a 30-yard field goal attempt went wide left and the score would remain 14-10 at the end of the fourth quarter.
Maryville had an opportunity to extend its lead midway through the fourth quarter. After driving 49 yards on 14 plays in 5:03, a 21-yard field goal attempt was missed wide-right and the Colonels would take over at their own 20-yard line.
The very first play of the drive, Phelps found sophomore Tyler Hinkel (Lexington, Ky.) for 38 yards to the Maryville 42-yard line. The Colonels advanced to the 23-yard line and found themselves in third down and three in Maryville territory.
Phelps then took the ball and ran 22 yards to the Fighting Scots one-yard line. Two plays later, Phelps pushed across the goal-line for the score and a Centre 17-14 lead with 5:34 left to play.
With 2:49 on the clock, Maryville regained possession at its own 44-yard line. The Fighting Scots gained 10 yards on four plays, prior to Price throwing his second interception of the game to senior linebacker Vail Brennan (Ft. Thomas, Ky.).
The Colonels ensuing drive would only net nine yards on three plays and they would be forced to punt. Dustin Locke returned Rockwell's 39-yard punt 21 yards to the Maryville 33-yard line.
Quickly, the Fighting Scots moved down the field, going 60 yards in 0:49 to the Centre seven-yard line. Needing only a field goal to send the game to overtime, Price attempted a pass in the end zone for the win, but it was picked off by Perin to seal the win for the Colonels.
Maryville out gained Centre 306-298 in total offensive yards, but committed three turnovers to zero for the Colonels. Warren finished as the leading rusher for Centre, gaining 72 yards on 16 carries, including a touchdown. Phelps was 15-19 for 138 yards through the air. He also added 68 rushing yards, including the game-winning score. Hinkel led Colonel receivers with 52 yards on four receptions.
Hay and junior linebacker Matt Johnson (Ashland, Ky.) combined to record 22 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception and one sack.
Centre will open its 2006 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference season, Saturday, Sept. 16, when they travel to Memphis, Tenn. to take on the Rhodes College Lynx. The game is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m.
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