Centerville sloppy in season opener against Elder

Centerville allows 313 rushing yards, commits 5 turnovers in loss.

By Kyle Nagel, Dayton Daily News, Staff Writer Updated 1:18 AM Saturday, August 27, 2011

CENTERVILLE — Down 20 points at halftime, Centerville High School football coach Ron Ullery told his team it didn’t match the name on its uniforms.

“The first half resembled nothing like Centerville football,” Ullery said. “I thought I got outcoached. They played with more effort, physicality, more speed than us.

“I thought they played the way we have always played.”

Pounding Centerville with a strong rushing game and forcing five Elks turnovers in the second half, Elder converted its first-half advantage into a 33-14 victory on Friday night at Centerville Stadium in a Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown matchup.

Elder rushed for 313 yards, including 164 and three touchdowns from senior Cody Fox. The Elks stiffened on defense in the second half, but suffered three fumbles and two interceptions, including a fumble at the Elder 9-yard line with 11:51 left in the game after cutting the deficit to 27-14.

“We will average, turnovers in a season, anywhere from 15 to 18,” Ullery said. “That’s turnovers in a season.”

Centerville chewed up 56 yards on the opening drive capped by a Kyle Wenning 1-yard touchdown to lead 7-0. Three possessions later, Elder’s Fox scored from 1 yard, and he followed with scores of 6 and 55 yards as Elder went up 20-7 with 3:35 left in the first half.

Using a hurry-up offense, Elder then went 48 yards in 2:19 to score on a 10-yard Ben Gramke pass to Jeffrey Vorherr with 9.1 seconds left in the first half and led 27-7 at the break.

Elder rushed for 222 yards in the first half, while Centerville gained 86, struggling both to stop the Panthers’ rushing attack and sustain an offense.

Fox continued pounding in the second half after rushing just 16 times all of last season.

“You look at him and you’re like, ‘He can’t be that good, a little guy and he runs fast,’ ” said Elder coach Doug Ramsey. “He runs to holes, he reads blockers, and he’s really tough. I’m glad to see him have a big night.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.