Published: September 12, 2009 12:39 am      

FOOTBALL: CP’s bruising ground game buries Tri-Central

Tri-Central’s football miseries continued here Friday when they ran into a Clinton Prairie squad that had too much speed and too many horses.

The Gophers (2-2) broke free for 27 first quarter points, had a 45-6 halftime lead and then turned it over to their backups for a 57-22 victory that was as uneven as the score indicates.

“It was ugly — real ugly,” said first-year coach George Gilbert. “We have some problems, but we will fix them. I still believe in the kids because they never gave up. Truth is, Prairie was bigger, stronger and faster than we were. We’re now going into the meat of our schedule and the seniors have to start showing some leadership.”

Tri-Central (0-4) hosts Clinton Central Friday, a program that Gilbert coached 19 years, then the following week its a trip to Class A, No. 1 ranked Lafayette Catholic.

On this night the Gopher ground game totally demolished the Trojans. Brady Woodruff, a 230 pound sophomore fullback, carried only 10 times but finished with 147 yards and two touchdowns. Slayd Schimmel, a junior running back, carried the ball five times for 128 yards and two scores and John Schubert carried five times for 123 yards, one being a 90-yard sprint.

The Gophers piled up 496 yards on the ground on 40 carries which meant they hardly needed a passing game.

TC got touchdowns from four yards by freshman Austin D’Agostino; five yards by Cody Byrd, and a 80 yard kickoff return from freshman Martavius Hunt.