Centennial Centaurs vs Robert Bateman Timberwolves

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Football is a game of inches. In today's matchup between the Centennial Centaurs and Robert Bateman Timberwolves, the old cliche reared its head in a critical moment, helping propel the Centaurs to a 21-13 victory.

Both teams' red zone defenses were on display early. The Centaurs and Timberwolves drove downfield on their first drives, continually moving the chains before being stonewalled inside the twenty-yard line. 

During the Timberwolves' second drive, a pivotal moment unfolded. As quarterback Luke Hall prepared to punt the ball away, Centaurs lineman Pierre Suarez executed a remarkable play, flying off the edge and managing to get his fingertips on the ball.

As the ball bounced high in the air after the block, it fell right into the hands of Adam Teglasi, who proceeded to take the ball back 40 yards to the house for the game's opening score. 

That touchdown was the only six points scored in the entire first half. A big part of that was the Centaur's physical front four. Bateman tried time and time again to run the ball inside, but when they did, ball carriers were met by a sea of Centuars defensive linemen in the offensive backfield. 

On passing down, the Centaurs mixed up, dialing up well time pressures with inside linebackers Harry Lobay and Ediri Ena-Laqui, or rushed just their front four, making Hall's life extremely difficult. 

Bateman's defense did a masterful job themselves, throwing off Jacob Cusker and the Centaur's aerial attack. Playing aggressive press coverages, Bateman was able to affect the timing between Cusker and his receivers just enough on critical downs to get off the field.  

Both teams headed to the locker room with the score 6-0 Centaurs. It was time for both offensive staff's to make some adjustments to get their respective units going, which they most certainly did. 

Having first possession of the second half, it was ground and pound time for the Centaurs. An offense that threw the ball around the yard last week completely changed their mentality. 

Running back Jasper Baron and the Centaur's o-line grinded out a physical drive. Taking the ball all the way downfield, one carry at a time. Baron finally punched it in from ten yards out, and after Cusker threw a perfect pass on a slant for a two-point conversion, it was 14-0 Centaurs. 

With the ball back in Bateman's hands, it was apparent they had made some adjustments of their own. Struggling to run the ball inside, Bateman started attacking the edges of the Centaur's defense using jet sweeps and screen passes.  

Not only was that working to move the ball, but the threat of those plays slowed down the pass rush of the Centaurs and finally gave Hall time to get the ball out in rhythm. 

Hall had some impressive completions in tight windows and had Bateman at the 5-yard line poised to get to within just one score. Hall completed another wide receiver screen on the left side of the field. As his receiver cut inside and reached out to the endzone at about the one-yard line, the ball was knocked loose. The Centaurs fell on it and regained possession. 

Bateman was inches away from cutting the lead to seven but had nothing to show for it. The Centaurs got the ball roughly midfield before punting the ball back to Bateman, flipping field position in the process. 

The game appeared to be over after a stalled drive by Bateman and another touchdown for Baron and the Centaurs in the fourth quarter. Hall and stud receiver Dante Meyer said not so fast. 

Hall dropped back to pass, rolled to his left, and hit Meyer on a wheel route. Meyer broke a tackle and took it to the house for a sixty-yard score. Just like that, there was life.

After forcing a Centaurs three and out, Bateman regained possession. Hall first threw a beautiful pass on a skinny post route to receiver Logan Grozell for a big gain. After hitting multiple targets to get Bateman downfield, he hit running back Jackson Kliewer on a screen pass, and the Timberwolves were within a score. 

After a last-ditch desperation onside kick failed, time ran out, and the Centaurs held on for a 21-13 win. 

Centaurs head coach Dino Geremia was very pleased with his defense's play led by linebacker Harry Lobay, who had six tackles on the day, a sack, and a knockdown. The Centaurs will travel to Mt. Baker, Washington, next week for a matchup south of the border. 

Bateman will look to rebound from a devastating loss when they host an undefeated Lord Tweedsmuir team next Friday.