It’s a little early for a Gatorade bath, but Centennial first-year coach Lenny Gregory didn’t care. It was a big win.
Centennial got big-time performances from quarterback Casen Conway and two-way star Caden Herring in a 48-40 victory at Chattahoochee on Friday.
Conway accounted for 390 yards and four touchdowns, and Herring had 250 yards and three touchdowns, including a 43-yard clinching touchdown scamper in the fourth quarter to help Gregory notch his first win at Centennial.
"Everyone was saying we're 0-3 and couldn't do it," Herring said. "But we knew we could, and our coaches knew it."
Blake Hundley scored four touchdown for Chattahoochee, including a 1-yard touchdown run that put the Cougars ahead 27-26 early in the fourth quarter. But Conway, Luther Martinez and Herring answered with fourth-quarter scores for the Knights to spoil Chattahoochee’s homecoming.
Chattahoochee took a 21-20 lead into intermission, after a back-and-forth first half that saw Centennial jump out to an early lead.
Conway threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Herring and also scored on a 14-yard scramble to give the Knights an early 12-0 lead in the first quarter.
Chattahoochee didn't pick up a first down until the second quarter and was facing a 3rd and 6, when quarterback Chase Owens found Andrew Johnson on a crossing route. Johnson, a speedy sophomore, got to the edge and would not be caught, scoring on a 56-yard completion that sparked the Cougars.
Hundley caught two touchdowns from Owens in the second quarter, the second a 41-yarder that put Chattahoochee (0-4) ahead at halftime.
Having lost their first three games by a combined score of 118-42, it would have been easy for the Knights to lose confidence after squandering the early lead against Chattahoochee. But Gregory insisted his squad was better than its start.
“We’re not an 0-3 football team. We are not,” Gregory said. “Anyone that watches film on us will know that. We’ve got a long way to go, but, man, we are working every day.”
--
Centennial 12 8 6 15 -- 48
Chattahoochee 0 21 0 19 -- 40
CENT -- Caden Herring 45 pass from Casen Conway (run failed)
CENT -- Conway 14 run (pass failed)
2nd
CHATT -- Andrew Johnson 56 pass from Chase Owens (Jorge Herrera kick)
CHATT -- Blake Hundley 6 pass from Owens (Herrera kick) -- 14-12
CEN -- Herring 2 run (Conway run) 20-14, 2:19
CHATT -- Hundley 41 pass from Owens (Herrera kick) 21-20
3rd
CEN -- Conway 28 run (Pass failed) 26-21
4th
CHATT -- Hundley 3 run (Pass failed) 27-26 Chatt, 11:56
CEN-- Conway 7 run (Herring run) 34-27 CENT, 10:06
CEN -- Luther Martinez 3 run (Kick good)
CHATT -- Hundley 1 run (Herrera kick)
CHATT -- Herring 43 run (Kick good)
CHATT -- Owens 3 run
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