By Greg Billing, Dayton Daily News Staff Writer Updated 1:51 AM Saturday, October 15, 2011
HUBER HEIGHTS — In a statement win over the Wayne Warriors on Friday night, the Centerville Elks made one thing clear: The Greater Western Ohio Conference Central Division title runs through Centerville.
And then some.
The Elks racked up 619 yards rushing — many on blasts up the middle — to deliver a 63-35 win at Wayne’s Good Samaritan Field at Heidkamp Stadium.
The Warriors’ defense entered the game allowing just 204.6 rushing yards per game.
Elks senior Chris Barr nearly had that himself, rushing 12 times for 199 yards with touchdown runs of 54, 64, 48 and 3 yards.
Kyle Wenning added 174 yards and four TDs and quarterback Jimmy Brooks had 126 yards rushing as the teams combined for 1,123 yards.
The win put Centerville (5-3) in sole possession of first in the Central Division at 3-0.
“It’s on the linemen opening up holes,” Barr said of his success Friday night. “… All we can do right now is win out and see where the cards might fall for the playoffs.”
The Elks entered the game No. 14 in the Division I, Region 4 computer points. They gave their playoff hopes a boost, while all but dimming their rivals’ chances. Wayne (4-4, 2-1 Central) entered at No. 10, just two spots out of a playoff berth.
“I wish we were a little better off record-wise, but I still feel good abour chances,” Centerville coach Ron Ullery said. “How we started, 1-3, yeah I think our guys persevered and there still is a lot to accomplish.”
Centerville led 28-7 with 10:29 left in the second quarter and took a 42-14 lead into halftime behind 374 yards rushing, mostly on untouched runs up the middle.
“I don’t even think we missed tackles,” Wayne coach Jay Minton said of the huge holes.
“Shoot, as old as I am I probably could have run through there. We’ll have to look at film to see what happened. … I don’t have an answer to give you right now.”
Behind quarterback Javon Harrison, the Warriors got as close as 49-28 in the second half.
Harrison hit Armani Miller for touchdown passes of 77 and 76 yards in a two-minute span late in the third quarter.
But the Elks tacked on a couple more scores of their own, on the ground of course.
Centerville offensive line coach George Reinke Jr. said Wayne’s defense was using one middle linebacker to patrol from tackle to tackle, so the Elks ran a blocker at the linebacker to clear space.
It worked.
“If we got one guy in his face we were able to get by him,” Reinke said.
