Photo Credit: Toriano Porter 
It wasn’t pretty. But a win is a win. And no matter how one looks at Center’s 20-14 victory Friday over Schlagle, Yellowjackets head coach Robin Powell-Deppe isn’t inclined to apologize for coming away the victor.
“A lot of people don’t know, we’ve got 25 ninth-graders on this team,” Powell-Deppe said. “Those kids are fighting their tails off every week. They took a big jump this week. We’ve got to keep taking jumps every week.”
The win was only the third of Powell-Deppe’s head coaching career. Last season, Center finished 2-8 but notched one “W” as the result of a forfeit.
The victory also ended Center’s nine-game losing streak dating back to last season. In scoring 20 points, the Yellowjackets stopped a scoreless streak that lasted well over nine quarters. Over the course of its long losing streak, Center, 1-1 this season, had only scored 30 points in nine contests.
“It feels great,” freshman defensive end/tight end Auggie Bannion said.
Bannion’s big night nearly outshadowed veteran Montrell Moore’s dominating performance. Bannion blocked a punt, returned it for a touchdown and sealed the win with a forced fumble late in the fourth quarter.
“That kid is a ball player,” Powell-Deppe said.
Moore, a running back/linebacker, scored the game’s final touchdown on a 6-yard run in the fourth. He also recorded a sack on defense and on more than one occasion knocked the snot out of Schlagle ball carriers.
“He’s big time,” Powell-Deppe said of Moore. “I’m proud of him. He did a great job.”
At times, Schlagle, 0-1, couldn’t get out of its own way against Center. The Stallions led 6-0 before giving up 14 unanswered points in this week’s DM Law Metro Matchup of the Week.
“They were chomping at the bit and got the win,” Schlage head coach Cernyn Macon said of Center.
Schlage used a touchdown pass from quarterback Cincere Lewis to wide receiver Dymyn Evans to take a 6-0 in the second quarter.
Thanks to Moore’s bruising 14-yard run to the 1-yard line, Center answered. The play set up a short touchdown run by R’Mon Davis. A successful two-point conversion run by Davis put Center up 8-6 at the 6:52 mark of the second quarter.
Center led 14-6 at halftime. Bannion recovered his own blocked punt and returned the ball for a touchdown with 4:39 left in the second quarter. The score gave the Yellowjackets an 8-point lead at the break.
“I got lucky,” Bannion said.
With less than 9 minutes to play, Schlagle’s Pierson Miller returned a punt 55 yards to the Yellowjackets’ 5-yard line The return gave the visitors life after a listless 3rd quarter.
On 4th and goal from the 6, Lewis swung a pass to Evans in the flat. The speedster, gimpy from leg cramps, broke one tackle, reversed the field and outran Yellowjacket defenders to the pylon for a score. Lewis followed with a two-point conversion run to tie the score at 14-all with 6:43 to play.
Center moved into Schlage territory in large part to a personal foul on Schlagle. Moore’s 9-yard scoring run with 3:28 gave the host a 20-14 advantage. Although the extra point kick was blocked, the Yellowjackets were able to hold on to a win that was long-time coming.
“It feels amazing,” Bannion said. “We’re trying to change Center’s culture. It’s (about) to get better, I swear.”
