Line stellar in two CCA wins
Published 12:00 am Sunday, August 22, 2004
CORNERSTONE – If precipitation is supposed to force a football team to utilize its ground game, Central Christian head coach Dayton Dawkins probably wishes it would rain every week.
The Warriors rushed a combined 22 times for 233 yards on a wet and windy Friday night in a pair of preseason jamboree victories here.
In their opening two-quarter contest, the Warriors beat Autauga, 14-0, then routed East Memorial, 21-0 in their other half-long tilt of the evening.
In its first game, Central Christian Academy was led by Eric Curtis, who rushed four times for 25 yards including a 12-yard scoring dash in the first quarter. Curtis also ran in the 2-point conversion to give the Warriors an 8-0 lead.
The game’s only other score came in the second quarter on a 60-yard scoring pass from T’Chelpio Woods to Bradley Savage to make it 14-0. The extra-point try failed.
The scoring toss was set up by a 38-yard completion from Woods to Bud Shoultz.
Simuel Walker rushed three times for 15 yards for the Warriors. Woods threw six times, completing two for 98 yards. He did not attempt a pass in the second game.
Jarvis Williams paced the CCA defense with four tackles and two assists. Savage had three tackles and one assist, while Curtis intercepted a pass and returned it eight yards.
In the second game, the Warriors used three scoring runs to put away East Memorial.
Jerome Deese put CCA ahead 7-0 when he scored on a 52-yard jog in the first quarter. Curtis added the PAT.
While he didn’t show off his arm much, Woods did score on a 10-yard run later in the first period to put the Warriors up, 14-0. Curtis again added the PAT.
In the second quarter, Curtis scored his second touchdown of the evening, this time on a 27-yard romp. Curtis also kicked the PAT to put the Warriors ahead, 21-0.
Along with Deese’s 52 yards rushing, Carter compiled another 49 yards on four carries. Walker rushed four more times for 42 yards and Curtis Mitchell had 31 yards on two carries.
“We did very well,” Dawkins said. “The offensive line was a very big surprise, especially versus Autauga. They have just about everybody back on their offensive line. For us to play as well as we did against them was a surprise. We mashed them right in the mouth.”
In their second victory of the evening, the Warriors’ defense was led by Brandon Tucker with four tackles and two assists. Ryan Washington had three tackles and an assist, and Sean Baxley chipped in two tackles and three assists.
CCA opens its regular season this Friday night at 7:30 at Memorial Stadium when it takes on Cavalry Christian.