Burleson Centennial overwhelmed by Denton Ryan’s second half offensive onslaught

In a loaded District 3-5A DI, it’s hard to go undefeated – just ask Burleson Centennial after Friday’s night’s 35-14 loss to Denton Ryan at C.H. Collins Athletic Complex.

Centennial (5-1, 3-1) kept things even throughout the first half, matching both Ryan scores with a score of its own, playing clean, turnover-free football and forcing four punts on the way to a 14-14 score at the half.

The second half was a much different story, though, as Centennial struggled to replicate any offensive rhythm it displayed in the first half. Centennial amassed 148 total yards in the first half thanks to its ground game and Keyshaun Tucker’s and Kelian Gregory’s touchdown runs.

The Spartans were held to just 83 yards in the second half and turned the ball over three times as Ryan (5-1, 4-1) scored 21 unanswered.

“It was more of a lack of execution on our part – give all credit to [Denton Ryan],” Centennial head coach Kyle Geller said. “They had a great plan [in the second half], but coming from our side, we think it was a lack of execution.”

Coming out of the second half, it looked as though Centennial had everything going its way after Jacob Hernandez intercepted an overthrown pass by TJ Hobbs Jr. inside the Centennial five-yard line to thwart a scoring opportunity.

However, the Spartans could not sustain the drive and were forced to punt for the fifth time.

On Ryan’s next possession, it got just inside Centennial territory before it looked like things were going to implode on the Raiders. Hobbs Jr was sacked, followed by a false start and then another tackle for loss for the Centennial defense that would have set up third-and-26 from the Ryan 42.

However, the Spartans were hit with a personal foul and three plays later, Braeden Mussett scored for the second time for the go-ahead score.

After that point, Ryan asserted itself the rest of the way and Centennial seemed completely out of sorts, unable to come up with an answer to keep the game close.

The last four possessions for Centennial were a punt for a sixth time, a fumble recovered by Ryan, a fumble recovered by Ryan on a punt and an interception in the endzone.

“That’s a really good, athletic bunch over there,” Geller said of Ryan. “They probably played their best game yet this year. I don’t know if we did, and that’s how it goes.”

Tucker carried the offense for Centennial with 16 carries for 118 yards and the touchdown run, and Damien Long had four of the team’s seven receptions for 58 yards.

Looking ahead to No. 1-ranked Aledo, an undefeated team that is going right through teams as of late, Geller said there’s a myriad of items for his team to focus and work on this week.

“It’s all around,” he said. “Gosh dang, you have a game where we’re not used to being held to 14. It’s one of those deals.”