Central Scores 35 Unanswered to Rout Tuscaloosa County

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Central took down Tuscaloosa County High with a dominant second-half performance, scoring 35 unanswered points after halftime in a 42-7 win over the Wildcats.

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This game didn’t see much first-half offense. Neither team scored until late in the first quarter, when Central’s senior quarterback Amarni White found sophomore wide receiver Jarvis Woods wide open for a 40-yard touchdown. After the PAT, the Falcons led 7-0 with 2:29 left in the quarter.

The second quarter featured more stalled drives and costly penalties. Central appeared to score twice on fourth down inside the 20-yard line, but both touchdowns were erased by penalties. The first was negated by an ineligible receiver downfield, while the second was wiped away by a holding call. The Falcons eventually turned the ball over on downs.

After the Falcons’ turnover on downs, County High’s offense found momentum thanks to several big runs by senior running back Julius Gee, setting up a first down inside the Falcons’ five-yard line with seconds left in the half. Sophomore quarterback Kaleb Marcum capped the drive with a quarterback sneak, tying the game at 7-7 heading into halftime.

The second half was all Central. Senior defensive back Jaelon Bramlett opened the third quarter with a monstrous 60-yard kickoff return. A few plays later, senior wide receiver Travon Hall broke loose for an electric 15-yard touchdown run, putting the Falcons up 14-7 with 10:53 left in the third quarter.

Central went on to add another touchdown in the third quarter when Hall broke free for a 20-yard touchdown run to give him his second rushing touchdown of the game, and to give the Falcons a 21-7 lead with three minutes remaining in the quarter. 

The fourth quarter was when Central completely took over this game, with the Falcons scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter, with two of those being passing touchdowns from Central’s senior quarterback, with him finding running back Nathan Richardson II for a ten-yard touchdown, and then wide receiver Jamarkus Billingsley for a one-yard touchdown. 

Central’s third score in the fourth quarter came from Bramlett, who finally broke through with a 40-yard punt return touchdown, extending the lead to 42-7 with 3:29 remaining. That would be the final score, as County High could not add a single point in the second half.

The Falcons will improve to 2-0 on the season as they return to action next Friday, Sept. 4, when they host Brookwood. 

County High will drop to 0-2 as they look to pick up their first win of the season next Friday when they travel to Prattville to take on the Lions. 

Micah Nichols covers Alabama baseball, football, and basketball for Tide 100.9. Follow @MicahNichols0 on X for in-game updates, highlights, and more Crimson Tide content.