Knights roll with 2nd-half onslaught

JESSIEVILLE — Jared Graves ran for 242 yards and four touchdowns, and Centerpoint broke open a tight game in the second half to rout Jessieville 51-21 Friday night at Phillips Field.

Graves, with 24 carries, scored two of the Knights’ five TDs after halftime. His 3-yard run midway through the third quarter and Cesar Roman’s kick gave Centerpoint (3-3 in 3A-5, 3-6 overall) a 24-14 lead.

Quarterback Keenan Owens and Colton Bright connected for the first of their two touchdown passes, a 38-yarder with 1:32 left in the third, and Cameron Clower’s 32-yard interception return 27 seconds later made it 37-14.

Wesley Castleberry returned the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a score, but Owens and Bright answered with a 6-yard touchdown strike at 8:23 of the fourth quarter. Graves capped the scoring with a 24-yard run.

The Knights, who moved into fourth place in 3A-5, went ahead on Roman’s 25-yard field goal on the first-half’s final play.

“They moved the ball on us in the first half,” Centerpoint coach Cary Rogers said. “The defense really stepped up in the second half.”

Jessieville (2-4, 3-6) opened on Drew Calloway’s 3-yard run with 3:27 left in the first quarter. Graves tied it with a 13-yard run later in the period, and put Centerpoint ahead a 21-yard TD at 4:09 of the second period. The Lions pulled even on Nick Marshall’s 4-yard run and Ruben de Haas’ kick 56 seconds before halftime.

The Knights rushed for 352 yards, Owens completing 10 of 18 passes for 193. Logan Taylor had four catches for 84 yards and Bright three for 59.

De Haas led Jessieville with 71 yards on 12 carries, Marshall adding 59 on nine attempts and Galloway 51 on 15. The Lions passed for only 25, Kaleb Moody completing one of three, and finished with 189.

Centerpoint can clinch a No. 4 playoff seed with a win over Bismarck (2-4 in conference) Thursday at home. Jessieville plays at unbeaten 3A-5 leader Prescott.

• Bismarck coach Jeff McBride was admitted to St. Vincent Hospital Friday night after complaining of chest pains during halftime of the Lions’ 52-14 loss at Prescott.

Lakeside coach Jared McBride said Saturday his 43-yearold brother had an electrocardiogram and blood work done before being released, and that doctors said he did not have a heart attack.

“He’ll see another cardiologist this week, but Jeff’s good,” Jared McBride said. “He’ll be back at work Monday.