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Andre's a giant
East running back runs for 328 yards as Blades hold off Golden Hawks
| Saturday, Sep 15 2007 1:05 AM
Last Updated: Saturday, Sep 15 2007 1:08 AM
As the final seconds drained away, Centennial set up for a field goal that would diminish everything East had accomplished through four quarters: A lead that once stretched to three touchdowns, an extraordinary performance by perhaps the best player in Kern County, the all-important confidence that comes with a zero in the loss column.
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But time was not the Golden Hawks' friend. Lacking a timeout, the field goal unit hustled onto the field to beat the clock. The snap went well, but the hold was muffed, and the game ended in a mad dash that finished with the Centennial holder being tackled for a loss.
East walked away with a 28-27 win on Friday at East High.
"We talked about having heart before the game," East coach Jim Maples said. "(Centennial's) a great football team."
That heart and effort started with East running back Andre Smith. While he's proving to be the most talented player in town, he may also be the most courageous.
Smith staked the Blades to a 28-7 lead with scoring runs of 62, 88, 4 and 80 yards. In the first half alone, Smith racked up 254 yards on 13 carries.
Centennial would score to make it a 28-14 East lead at half, and the Golden Hawks added another score to make it 28-21 in the third quarter.
With East clinging to its advantage, Smith carried the ball when he was met by Centennial linebacker Zander Fabbri. A vicious hit left Smith on the ground with a stinger in his left shoulder.
"I got a stinger and it pinched a muscle in my back," Smith said. "I got a little frustrated because we weren't playing like I know we can. We showed it in the end."
While Centennial kept Smith and East out of the end zone in the second half, Smith's carries sucked time off the clock as East drew closer to an upset victory.
And Smith's duties weren't limited to offense. He and quarterback Eddie Morrow, both seniors, played in the defensive backfield all night as well. Their efforts helped keep Centennial in check for most of the evening.
"Me and Andre, we do track, and our stamina is better than anyone in the Valley," Morrow said. "We run hard every day after practice."
The Blades needed every once of that conditioning and effort.
Centennial quarterback Brock Bivens scored on a 21-yard run to bring the score to 28-27. A missed extra point left the Golden Hawks down by one.
An East drive stalled, and Centennial took possession with 1 minutes, 42 seconds left. The Golden Hawks drove into field goal position, but no timeouts caused the mad-dash field goal attempt that ultimately failed with the clock showing zeroes.
Smith finished with 328 yards on 32 carries, and his performance left his teammates and coaches singing his praises.
"Andre Smith, he's a beast," Morrow said. "He's the best running back in California."
"He is such a special player and a special person," Maples said. "We tried to sit him down (with the injury), but he told us he wanted to go back in."
East High gets an added boost of momentum as league play draws closer.
"Coming in, we said this could set the tempo for the rest of our season," Morrow said.
Bivens led Centennial with 140 yards on 19 carries. The Golden Hawks will have to regroup to for a home matchup with Bakersfield High next Friday.
"Our kids showed a lot of character," Centennial coach Bryan Nixon said. "We're going to learn a lot from this. We played some good football in the second half."