By John Goolsby, Prep Sports Editor
JACKSONVILLE, Ala.- The Center Point Eagles continue to flex their offensive muscle. This week, George Bates’ Eagles traveled to Jacksonville and came away with a 40-21 region win.
Deon Moore got the Eagles on the board first with a 64-yard touchdown pass to Keywone Posey. The two-point conversion failed, and Center Point led 6-0.
Jacksonville answered with a 44-yard touchdown run to take a 7-6 lead.
Moore hit Jaquoryae Busby with a 29-yard pass in the second quarter to put the Eagles up 12-7 after the two-point conversion failed.
Moore extended the lead to 18–0 with a 30-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion failed.
Jacksonville then cut the lead to 18–13 on a 13-yard touchdown run. The Golden Eagle’s two-point conversion failed.
The Eagles closed out the scoring in the first half with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Moore to Antonio Garfield. The successful two-point conversion gave Center Point a 26–13 lead at the half.
Julius Finnerson pushed the Center Point lead to 32–13 on a 2-yard run. The two-point conversion failed.
Jacksonville cut the lead to 32-19 on a 13-yard run in the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion failed again.
Moore closed out the scoring for the Eagles on a 26-yard run to give Center Point a 40–19 lead after a successful two-point conversion.
Jacksonville added a safety late off a Center Point punt fumble, and the Eagles left Jacksonville with a 40–21 win.
Moore was six of eight passing for 145 yards and three touchdowns. He ran for 151 yards on 13 carries and added two rushing touchdowns.
Finnerson added 116 yards on 14 carries with one score.
Defensively, Busby had two interceptions and double-digit tackles.
“Moore is doing what he did last year,” said Bates. “Moore has been doing it on the offense side the last couple of weeks along with Julius Finnerson rushing the ball, and Moore has been spreading the ball to the receivers.”
“Defensively, we missed too many missed tackles and gave up a lot of rushing yards because of the missed tackles,” Bates said.
“Hats off to Jacksonville,” he said. “Their backs ran hard and had a lot of yards after contact.”
“We didn’t gang tackle and must return to the fundamentals.”
The Eagles host region foe Saint Clair County Friday.
