By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Central Mustangs couldnāt have asked for a better start to their night in Goddard, taking a three-score lead early in the second quarter and riding that momentum to a 34-20 win on Friday night.
Goddard did manage to cut the lead to just one score on two occasions, but when it mattered most the Mustangs heeded the call, standing tall on defense and completing timely drives on offense.
The opening drive was textbook for Salina Central, driving 70 yards and opening the scoring on a four-yard Alex Garcia rush.
Two plays later, Goddard coughed up a fumble, and the Mustang defense pounced, setting up a short field and a second Garcia rushing touchdown.
A three-and-out gave Central the first full drive of the second quarter and the Mustang offense stayed hot as Griffin Hall delivered a 38-yard strike to King Anderson to push the lead to 20-0.
Goddard would score the final touchdown of the first half, and the first touchdown of the second to cut the lead to six, but the Mustangs, led by Griffin Hall went right back to work pushing the envelope.
Hall engineered an eight-play touchdown drive in which he called his own number seven times to restore the two-score lead to the Mustangs, then carried in his third touchdown of the day to answer a 45-yard Erik Olivas score.
Down 34-20, it was do-or-die time for Goddard, and inside the final two minutes, Abe Perez sealed the Lionsā fate with a game-icing interception on a deep pass from Brock Sullivan.
Griffin Hall was the standout star of the day, completing 7-of-11 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown, while adding an additional 193 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
Both teams come out of the fray 1-1. The Mustangs return home next week for a battle with Ark City, while Goddard hits the road for a rivalry showdown with Goddard-Eisenhower.
You can watch this game any time on demand below.