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Scores and Photos of Friday night high school football - Sept. 25
Red Bank and Central have started the season slowly.
Each started Friday night's game in the same manner.
Each offense struggled to find a rhythm, but the hosting Lions used three field-flipping - and score-changing - plays on special teams to take an early lead and hold on for a 20-13 win.
"We had to be great on special teams because we are not real consistent on offense," Red Bank coach Chad Grabowski said. "We're still fighting ourselves on offense a little bit, but our kids never quit."
A well-placed Red Bank punt put Central in an early hole, and sophomore defensive end Ivan Young buried Purple Pounders quarterback Taven Spann in the end zone for a safety for the game's first score.
"We can still get better as a defense," said Young, who had three tackles for loss to lead a defense that held Central to 147 total yards.
After Young's safety, Red Back speedster Will Davis returned the free kick 76 yards for a touchdown for a lightning-quick 9-0 lead.
"Special teams killed us," Central coach Gary Bloodsaw said. "We played better, but we still made some mental mistakes and had some kids do what they wanted to do rather than what they needed to do.
"We'll get there."
Central (0-5) converted good field position into a second-quarter touchdown run by Devin Swafford, and Red Bank (2-4) answered with a 38-yard field goal from Sandi Beganovic before the homecoming festivities took center stage.
The Lions' early pride turned into their ultimate undoing.
Central foiled a fake-punt try early in the third quarter and turned the positive field position into a two-play touchdown drive for its first lead.
"It was there; they only had three guys on that side," Grabowski said of the fake attempt that was stopped 2 yards short of the first down. "We just didn't execute it as well as we could have."
Two Spann runs later, Central led 13-12.
The big plays on special teams were much needed as neither offense ever found its stride. First downs were met with fist bumps and productive plays were at a premium.
For most of the game each defense made 13 points seem like 30. The Pounders hunted their first win of the season by pressuring the line of scrimmage and making big plays at the biggest moments.
Central forced two red-zone turnovers, including recovering a Red Bank fumble in the Pounders' end zone late in the third quarter to foil a potential touchdown drive.
Red Bank answered by unleashing a relentless pass rush from Young and counterpart Tra Stamper that wore down Central.
"We have seven guys going both ways, and I think we got a little tired there at that end," Bloodsaw said.
Red Bank's relentless push led to two impressive drives down the stretch. The final one was capped with Stamper's one-handed catch on a slant against an all-out Central blitz for a 25-yard touchdown that proved to be the game-winner.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343. Follow him on Twitter @jgreesontfp.