By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Centre High School’s football team has trounced all of its opponents since the beginning of district play, and Friday’s regional game was no different. The Cougars defeated Colony-Crest, 46-0, at home.

Now at 8-2, Centre will play 9-1 Axtell at Axtell in a sectional game Friday.

Friday’s game would have ended by halftime, but a final touchdown by Centre was called back on a penalty. Centre led, 38-0.

The game was called after the Cougars scored early in the third quarter.

Crest punted numerous times. Quarterback Braxton Smith started Centre’s scoring with a 37-yard touchdown run. Aidan Svoboda ran for the conversion.

Jensen Riffel scored the next three touchdowns, and Lane Methvin and Riffel scored extra points. Centre led, 30-0.

In Centre’s next possession, Matthew Madron caught a 20-yard pass from Smith in the end zone, and Dalton Stika ran for the conversion. Centre led, 38-0.

Colony-Crest completed a long run after a pass reception. The Lancers were in the red zone, but Centre recovered a fumble, ending their only serious drive of the game.

However, the Lancers tightened their defense, forcing Centre to turn the ball over on downs with 1:48 remaining in the second quarter.

After halftime, the Cougars marched down the field, and Riffel ran for five yards for the final touchdown. Svoboda ran for the extra points.

Riffel was the leading rusher, with 12 carries for 137 yards. Svoboda had seven carries for 71 yards, and Smith had eight carries for 83 yards.

Stika, Quentin Bina, and Methvin were credited by their coaches with good blocking.

Smith led the defense with five tackles and five assists. Svoboda had four tackles and eight assists.

Other tacklers were Jacob Hird, 2-3; Methvin, 1-6; Keegan August, 1-1; Riffel, 1-6, and one interception; Luke Hudson, 1-1; Stika, 1-3; and Elias Jirak, 1. Dakota Gardner and Madron each had one assist.

Coach Kelly Steiner said Centre is one of only eight teams still playing football in 8-man, Division II.

“Axtell is a very good team and has one of the best quarterbacks in the state,” he said. “Our pass defense will be challenged, and we will have to step up. We will have to play mistake-free football.”

The game will begin at 7 p.m. Friday. Axtell is north of U.S 36 in northeast Kansas.