Centralia surge late in first half turns contest against Waterloo
WATERLOO — The Centralia Orphans broke a halftime tie with two late scores and added a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to secure a 35-7 road victory at Waterloo on Friday, handing the Bulldogs their third loss of the season.
The defeat leaves Waterloo at 3-3 overall and 2-3 in Cahokia Conference Mississippi Division play, while Centralia improved to 6-0 and remained unbeaten as the No. 5 team in the Illinois Media Class 4A poll.
Waterloo tied the game at 7-7 midway through the first half on a sustained, time-consuming drive that culminated in Jaxon Mathenia’s 1-yard touchdown dive with 7:15 remaining before intermission. Centralia answered late in the half with two quick strikes — a 36-yard sideline reception for a score by Ja’Shawn Staples and an 80-yard touchdown catch by Kruz Jackson with under a minute to play — swinging momentum and the scoreboard in the visitors’ favour.
“Waterloo did a good job in the first half of bleeding the clock, and we really didn’t have the ball that much,”
Centralia coach Brad Goewey said after the game. He credited a defensive stop that led to the Orphans’ momentum-shifting score and highlighted the impact of taking the lead before halftime.
Centralia’s scoring sequence began after the Orphans took possession at their 20-yard line following the kickoff and moved the ball with key completions from Archie Goewey to Jace Brammeier of 38 and 17 yards. Two holding penalties stalled the drive briefly, but Staples’ sideline catch and run into the end zone put Centralia ahead. Moments later, following a Waterloo touchback, Jackson raced 80 yards after a reception over the middle to extend the advantage to 21-7 at the break.
“We were able to get a stop and get a score right after we got the ball back,” Goewey said. “That’s the kind of thing that can swing the momentum around.” Brammeier, who transitioned from primarily playing defence last season to becoming the team’s leading receiver this year, said he worked through the summer to earn a role on offence.
“I came in during the summer and worked on everything I could to be a part of the offence… I just want to help any way I can,”
Brammeier said. He now leads the team with 20 catches for the season.
Centralia added two more touchdowns in the third quarter to put the result beyond doubt. Waterloo had a late first-half chance after Staples recovered a fumble and the Orphans advanced to the Waterloo 21 before the halftime horn, but momentum had already shifted decisively to the visitors.
What this means for the season
The loss complicates Waterloo’s conference path. With conference games carrying added weight for postseason seeding, the Bulldogs will need to regroup quickly to avoid falling further behind Centralia in the Mississippi Division standings. Centralia’s victory keeps it on track for a likely deep run in the state polls, preserving an unblemished record that bolsters its standing as one of the top Class 4A programmes.
- Final score: Centralia 35, Waterloo 7
- Centralia record: 6-0 (5-0 Cahokia Conference)
- Waterloo record: 3-3 (2-3 Cahokia Conference)
| Team | Overall | Conference |
|---|---|---|
| Centralia | 6-0 | 5-0 |
| Waterloo | 3-3 | 2-3 |
For Waterloo, the focus will be on shoring up possession — the Bulldogs’ opening-half strategy of controlling the clock shortened Centralia’s offensive opportunities but proved insufficient once the visitors executed big plays. Centralia demonstrated playmakers on offence and the capacity to turn defensive stops into immediate scoring, a combination that has kept the Orphans unbeaten.
As the Cahokia Conference season moves forward, both teams will have to balance adjustments on offence and defence with the realities of travel and school schedules that shape high school programmes across Ontario and neighbouring regions. Centralia’s late-game execution in Waterloo was decisive; Waterloo will now look to respond in its next outing.
