CENTERVILLE, Ind. – The Centerville football team held on for a 25-24 Homecoming victory over Northeastern on Friday night.
Northeastern scored in the final minute of the Tri-Eastern Conference affair to get to within one point, but the Knights were not able to complete a successful two-point conversion following the score.
Cole Retter scored on a 1-yard run for the Knights with 22 seconds remaining, but he couldn’t get to the goal line on the conversion attempt as he was stopped by Centerville’s Kody Witham.
Centerville had scored earlier in the fourth period to take the lead for good on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Dylan Benedict to Cole Cooper with 8:56 left to play. Dante Torres booted the PAT for what proved to be the decisive point of the contest.
Bulldogs Grab Advantage
In the opening period, gave the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead when he scored on a 34-yard run.
Both teams scored twice in the second frame as Centerville would hold an 18-12 advantage at intermission.
Witham scored on a 1-yard run for the Bulldogs and Benedict added the other touchdown on a 14-yard run.
Retter found the end zone two times for the Knights as he caught a 58-yard pass from Northeastern quarterback Jacob Auger and later scored on a 7-yard run.
In the third, Retter would tie the game with a 5-yard run with 1:17 remaining to set the stage for the rousing finish.
Witham led the Bulldogs with 73 yards on the ground. Benedict had 67 yards and Chris Pritchett finished with 54.
Auger completed 10-16 passes for 106 yards. Retter led the Knights with 85 yards rushing, while Kaleb Mikesell added 76 yards. Retter also had three catches for 62 yards and a score. Mikesell finished with three grabs for 22 yards.
Defensively, Witham and Tyler Rodandello topped the Bulldogs with 12 tackles each. Jourdan Jones added 10 tackles.
Dakota Green led the Knights with 15 tackles and Retter finished with 11.
The Bulldogs (2-4, 2-2) visit Hagerstown (4-2, 3-1) next Friday. Northeastern (4-2, 3-1) entertains Union County (2-4, 1-3).