Heading home in style after two blowout victories, the Central Park Hills Varsity Football team is cruising. Last week the Rebels dominated their second opponent in as many weeks, a crushing 58-21 victory over Caruthersville, and will be looking to keep their winning streak rolling this Friday, September 9th, against the Potosi Trojans.
Led by the hot hand of quarterback Casen Murphy, Central has set the tone early that they are a force with which to be reckoned. Now ranked 35th in Missouri and fifth in Class 3, the Rebels are looking to avenge their semifinal elimination from last season, and have their eyes set on nothing less than a MO State Championship. If they keep playing as well as they have started, that’s a realistic possibility.
Taking over for the astounding Jett Bridges, Murphy has found his home in the pocket. Last week he completed 12 out of 20 passes for nearly 200 yards, including two touchdowns. Not only that, but he also rushed five times for 47 yards and a touchdown. He also plays on the other side of the ball, and last game’s theatrics included grabbing an interception that he nearly returned for a touchdown, and he scooped up a fumble.
So far this season, Murphy’s go-to receiver has been the impressive Jobe Bryant, who last week caught seven balls for 130 yards. He also had a remarkable 70-yard punt return for a touchdown, a rushing touchdown and a 46-yard receiving touchdown. He also caught an interception and added three carries on the ground for 11 more yards. A stellar all-around performer, Bryant has certainly not gone unnoticed by his foes.
Next up for Central are the Trojans from Potosi High School, who will be entering the game with a 1-1 record, but are reeling from a disastrous week two blowout at the hands of Farmington (50-18). Ranked at a less than impressive 157 in the state, the Rebels should handily outmatch their opponents, who have failed to really get going offensively, so far being outscored 45-67 on the season. Though it’s still too early to really have seen what Potosi has offensively, the odds heavily favor Central to walk away unscathed.
Nonetheless, a Class 3 rival such as Potosi is one that needs to be taken seriously, as any hiccup could askew the district seedings unfavorably for Central. The Rebels will no doubt have plans on keeping their winning streak alive, and if they’re able to keep their own errors at bay, it could be another big win for the home team.
