By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

Two quick touchdowns by Centre had Goessel reeling at the outset of Friday’s football game at Goessel, and the Bluebirds never recovered, losing 66-20 in the point-rule-shortened game.

Goessel started the game on with an onside kick that Centre covered in good field position. The Cougars took just 61 seconds to march into the end zone.

Then, Centre intercepted a pass on Goessel’s first possession and returned it all the way for another touchdown, and the Cougars were up 16-0 just two minutes into the game.

Jacob Hagewood caught a 32-yard scoring pass from Dylan Lindeman, and Lindeman scampered in for the two-point converstion to make the score 16-8.

Centre scored two more times in the first quarter to build a 30-8 lead. Goessel failed on a fourth-down conversion attempt, and Centre took advantage, scoring again to take a 38-8 lead.

Facing a fourth-and-11, the Bluebirds connected on a 14-yard pass play from Lindeman to Jordan Griffin to cut the lead to 38-14.

The Cougars scored again 14 seconds before halftime to lead 44-14 at the break.

The Cougars led 58-14 in the third quarter when Hagewood caught another Lindeman pass and went 33 yards for the last Bluebird score.

A Cougar touchdown early in the fourth quarter with the points after ended the game at 66-20.

The Goessel offensive line of Nathaniel Schmucker, Justice Johnson, and Carson Sterk allowed the Bluebirds to throw for 145 yards, but Centre’s bigger defenders held Goessel to 69 yards on the ground. Luke Wiens and Zach Zogleman led the Bluebirds defense with 11.5 and 10 tackles respectively.