By MATT JOCKS
Special to The Press-Enterprise
It didn't take long for Centennial's unit to be tested. An uncharacteristic three-and-out series to start the game was followed by a poor snap on a punt that gave Rancho Verde (11-1) its first possession at the Centennial 23. Centennial held Rancho Verde to a field-goal attempt that was blocked, a momentum boost Centennial coach Matt Logan labeled as "huge."
MORENO VALLEY - Corona Centennial's offense operates at warp speed, but on Friday, the unit had to play catch-up -- to the Centennial defense.
The Huskies smothered Moreno Valley Rancho Verde's high-scoring offense and quickly turned the Inland Conference quarterfinal showdown into a runaway. Centennial took charge in the second quarter and rolled to a 52-21 victory to reach the semifinals for the ninth time.
Centennial (10-2) will play at home against Temecula Chaparral in a rematch of last year's title game.
 Terry Pierson / The Press-Enterprise |
The sequence was the start of a dominant performance by the Huskies' first unit. Centennial dismantled Rancho Verde's dangerous passing game, putting pressure on quarterback Travis Champion and allowing him to complete just 4 of 17 passes, sacking him three times and intercepting him once.
"We saw that not a lot of teams put pressure on him," Logan said. "Actually, we mixed it up. We came at him sometimes and pulled back sometimes."
Once Centennial's defense set the tone, the offense blew the game open.The Huskies piled up 31 points and 238 yards in the second quarter to take a 38-7 halftime lead. Denzel Hawkins scored three TDs in the quarter.Big numbers from the Centennial offense are nothing new, but the defense probably should get equal billing.
"No one who sees them on tape, no one who has to prepare for them overlooks them," Rancho Verde coach Pete Duffy said. "We saw just what we saw on tape: a bunch of big, strong, fast, well-coached, angry guys all over the field."
Lineman Lee Adams had two sacks and two other tackles for losses in the first half.
[Source: Press Enterprise]