By Bobby Mathews, sports editor
ALEXANDRIA — The Center Point Eagles fell to 1-2 on the season after a 45-22 loss at the hands of Alexandria High School here Friday night, September 3, 2021.
Alexandria got on the board with eight minutes left to play in the first half, with a four-yard run by Antonio Ross. Cleat Forrest’s point after was good, and the Valley Cubs had a 7-0 lead. Luis Torres then passed to Ross for a touchdown to put Alexandria up 13-o. Forrest’s PAT was good, and that made it 14-0.
Center Point drove down the field on the ensuing possession and made it to the Alexandria 38-yard line before the defense intercepted a Jabari Collier pass and returned it to the Center Point 46.
From there, the Valley Cubs skated into the end zone on the strength of a 15-yard Jake Upton touchdown. The PAT made it 21-0 in the second quarter.
Ross added a 15-yard TD of his own to push the score to 28-0 in favor of the Valley Cubs. Upton scored again on a 12-yard run to make it 35-0 in the second quarter, and Forrest added a 35-yard field goal to make the score 38-0 at the half.
Things didn’t get any better in the third quarter for the Eagles. Ross added another score — this one a 44-yard scamper — to make it 45-0.
Center Point got on the board when Troy Bruce broke a 30-yard touchdown run with 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion made it 45-8. Following a missed field goal by Alexandria, Collier would run to the house on a 49-yard carry for a touchdown.
D’ontae Eatmon then found Collier in the end zone for another two-point conversion, which made it 45-16, Alexandria. But with five minutes to go, the Eagles finally had things working their way.
On Alexandria’s next possession, Center Point recovered a fumble near midfield. The drive ended in a score when Bruce took the ball into the end zone. The two-point conversion failed, and it was 45-22, Alexandria, with three minutes to go.
The next couple of series got sloppy for both teams. Alexandria recovered a fumble to stall the next Center Point drive, but then Demario Hicks intercepted a pass to give the ball back to the Eagles.
With time winding down, Center Point fumbled once again, and they’d never have another chance to catch up to Alexandria.
The Eagles host Lincoln on September 10, 2021, and this will effectively be the Eagles’ home opener since their first game of 2021 against Wenonah was a forfeit victory.