GEORGETOWN, Texas – The Centre football team locked up a winning season for 2024 as an opportunistic defense forced four fourth quarter turnovers on the way to a 38-28 victory over the Southwestern Pirates.
 
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
 
- After trading punts on the first two series, the first big break of the game went to Southwestern after the Pirates recovered a fumble deep in Centre territory. Three plays later, the Pirates took it in on a quarterback keeper to make it 7-0.
- The two teams then traded fourth down stops as a tackle for loss by JJ Jones gave Centre the ball on their own 37. Jack Gohmann connected with Blake Busson twice for 51 yards to reach the red zone. Clint Sansbury punched it in from two yards out and the score was tied at 7-7.
- Centre then took advantage of a Pirates turnover as Southwestern fumbled a handoff at their own 36 and Mario Brewer Jr. scooped it up and raced to daylight for a defensive touchdown, giving the Colonels their first lead.
- Momentum shifted back to Southwestern early in the second quarter after an interception set the Pirates up in the red zone. Southwestern eventually plunged in from the goal line to again knot the score at 14-14.
- On Centre's next drive, the Colonels used some trickery to keep possession as Lex Breeden took a direct snap on a fake punt and raced 16 yards for a first down. With new life, Centre advanced into Southwestern territory and Gohmann hit Travis Maufer over the middle to convert a fourth down in no man's land. On 3rd & 11, Gohmann threw a bomb to Busson for a 30-yard touchdown to put Centre back on top.
- The Pirates then marched down the field, getting most of it on a 48-yard pass play to land inside the Centre 5. From there, Southwestern scored on a quarterback option to tie the score again as the two teams went into the locker room tied at 21-21.
- Southwestern kept the momentum as they got the ball first to start the third quarter, going 75 yards in seven plays, with the final 37 coming from a quick slant that turned into a touchdown and the lead changed hands again.
- After a Centre interception and a Southwestern punt, Centre got the ball back and reached midfield with a critical third down play. Gohmann found Ethan Mays over for 21 yards, and then threw one to Dant Bowling, who made an acrobatic catch at the pylon for a touchdown and the game was again tied at 28-28.
- To start the fourth quarter, the Pirates crossed midfield before Centre made a big play on defense. Micah Valenti forced a fumble and Jamikel James fell on it to kill the drive.
- Centre quickly took advantage of the turnover. On a key 3rd & 11, Gohmann found Scotty Brown for 25 yards to reach enemy territory. Busson then tiptoed the sideline on a 28-yard touchdown catch for the third lead change of the game, putting Centre up 35-28.
- After a punt by each team, Will Boehm pinned the Pirates deep in their own territory. Southwestern went for the bomb, but Valenti picked off the long pass for the second turnover of the quarter.
- On the next Southwestern possession, the Pirates approached the 50 as they faced 4th & 1 from their own 45. The Centre defense rose up again as Ollie Carter and Nick Grant stuffed the run for no gain to turn the Pirates over on downs.
- Centre iced the game on the next series as Brown caught a pass for a first down on 3rd & 11. Will McDaniel got the Colonels into field goal range with three straight runs and Cam Tegge converted a 42-yard field goal to make it a two-score game with less than a minute to go.
- The Colonels got their fourth turnover of the quarter on the game's final play as Ryan Combs intercepted a pass to keep the Colonels unbeaten in conference play.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
- Gohmann completed 24 of 40 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns. His favorite target this day was Busson, as the Lexington Catholic teammates connected seven times for 144 yards and two scores, all season highs for Busson.
- Going into the fourth quarter with the score tied, the Centre defense forced as many turnovers (4) as they allowed first downs in the final frame.
- Jones and Parker Guillaume each led the Centre defense with nine tackles. Adam Wicktom had a fantastic game from his defensive end position, finishing with eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
 
NEXT UP
 
The Colonels will play their final road game of the season on Nov. 2 as they travel to Georgia to face the Berry Vikings.