When the Centerville football team traveled to Lapel on Friday, Nov. 1, to play for the right to advance to the sectional championship game the following Friday, it was a certainty that the Bulldogs would win. The only question was which pack of Bulldogs it would be.

It was a difficult night for Centerville. They lost running back Jeremiah Mull to an injury and the offense never found the end zone. Centerville entered the game averaging almost 39 points per game, but the Lapel defense kept them out of the end zone. It was the first time in seven seasons that an opposing defense has kept Centerville from scoring. 

Points were hard to come by for both teams. The teams battled to a scoreless tie after one quarter before Rylie Hudson scored on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Devin Craig to help propel Lapel to a 7-0 halftime lead. The Lapel defense kept Centerville at bay in the first half by recovering a fumble and intercepting a pass. 

Lapel added to their lead in the third quarter when Devin Craig connected on a 46-yard pass to Jaxson Cripe, setting up a 10-yard touchdown pass to Brice Burress on the next play. A 48-yard touchdown pass run from Craig to Hudson in the fourth quarter completed the scoring. 

Centerville’s Chase Clark and Coleson Campbell combine to sack Lapel quarterback Devin Craig. Photo by DAJO Photos

Centerville was limited to 83 yards rushing. Jace Hollendonner gained 34 yards on 12 carries, and Mull gained 28 yards on 11 carries before leaving the game. Hollendonner passed for 168 yards, completing 10 of 26 pass attempts. Maddox Pritchett was the top receiver, catching seven passes for 124 yards. Ethan Vecera caught three passes for 39 yards. 

Lapel rushed for 97 yards. Jack Miller led with 71 yards on 17 carries. Craig completed 20 of 27 pass attempts for 257 yards and three touchdowns. Hudson caught nine passes for 120-yards and two touchdowns. Cripe caught six passes for 87 yards. Brayden Johnson had three PAT kicks.

Vecera led the Centerville defense with a game high of 14 tackles. Grady Blake and Johnny McGinty each had seven, and Vecera had an interception. Isaiah Young led Lapel with 11 tackles, and Jayden Lindsey added 10 tackles including three sacks. Isaiah Priest had an interception.

Lapel will travel to Triton Central on Friday, Nov. 8 for the sectional championship game. 

It was the final game in a Centerville football uniform for seniors Grady Blake, Owen Boyd, Connor Burkhardt, Coleson Campbell, Chase Clark, Axel Cook, Connor Frazier, Keiten Hardin, Billy Henry, Aiden Hoelscher, Sean Newman, Carter Standeford, Gavin Stiggleman, Jacob Vredeveld and Timmy Wright. 

Lapel (8-3)             0   7   7   7   21

Centerville (9-2)     0   0  0   0     0

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A version of this article appeared in the November 6 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.

Dan Harney is a sports reporter at the Western Wayne News.