By Joe Crowe
For The Tribune
CENTER POINT — The Center Point Eagles notched touchdown after touchdown in the first quarter, then the Pinson Valley Indians spent the rest of the game catching up, only to fall one touchdown short Friday night as Center Point Eagles stunned Pinson Valley, 29-22.
Jabari Collier File Photo (Photo by Ron Burkett)
The first quarter was essentially a Center Point highlight reel, as Deon Moore ran 50 yards for a touchdown, fewer than three minutes into the game. Senior quarterback Jabari Collier followed with a touchdown less than one minute later. Then, with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter, Collier hurtled across the field for a mind-blowing 99-yard touchdown run.
Kicker Antonio Sebastian also had a tremendous first quarter, with a perfect record of three kicks resulting in three point-afters. Sebastian then started off the second quarter with a field goal, putting Center Point up 23-0.
Center Point would not put points on the board again until the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, Pinson Valley got down to business, as Cameron Jennings completed a pass to Keywone Posey. The point after from Damian Gonzalez was good, putting the Indians on the board, 23-7.
The defenses kicked into gear at this point as the Eagles and Indians kept each other scoreless into halftime and well into the third quarter. With 1:59 left in the third, Jennings completed a three-yard pass to Amare Thomas for another touchdown, and Jennings then added a two-point conversion, pulling Pinson Valley to within eight points, 23-15.
The final quarter saw Center Point senior running back Troy Bruce reach the end zone with a four-yard run, setting the score at 29-15. Bruce has notched tons of yards all season, but tonight shared the spotlight with Collier, who led the Eagles with 131 passing yards and 180 rushing.
With around a minute and a half remaining in the game, Pinson Valley scored again, as Jennings completed yet another pass for a touchdown, this time to Rod Ivey, cutting Center Point’s lead to seven. However, Center Point outlasted the Indians in the remaining moments, setting the final score at Center Point 29, Pinson Valley 22.
Center Point’s promotion from 5A to 6A came with gloomy predictions about the Eagles’ fate, but Coach George Bates, his staff, and the players appear to be gaining motivation and momentum.
“We’ve been the little brother for so long,” said Coach Bates, who added that the team’s “word of the week” was “desiderate,” which he said means, “We want more.”
“We weren’t just satisfied with just making the playoffs in 6A. So in two weeks, we want more. We’ve got a chance to win a first-round playoff game, so we’re very excited,” Bates said.
Ron Bligh, the Eagles’ offensive and defensive line coach, said that one key to the win was Bates. “When you got a guy like Coach Bates leading the team, you go into every game thinking anything’s possible. The kids buy into him, they’d go through a wall for that guy. I would go through a wall for that guy.”
Pinson Valley Head Coach Lee Guess was not available for comment following the game.
With the win, Center Point improves to 7-1, 4-1 in 6A Region 6 play. They have a bye next week and will Oxford on October 21 in their final region game of the season. Pinson Valley falls to 4-3 overall, 2-2 in region action, and hosts Shades Valley on Friday, October 14.
