Central-Macon holds on to down Spencer

MACON, Ga. -- Central-Macon jumped out to a big lead and held on to defeat Spencer 28-12 on Friday in a GHSA Region 2-AAA game.

While the Chargers' offense sputtered in the second half, the defense, led by Chandler King, held the Greenwave scoreless in the second half to improve to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the region.

"We didn't want them to score at all," said King, who had a sack to go with three tackles for loss. "We knew that we weren't moving the ball on offense like we usually do, and we wanted to come out and play great hard-nosed football. It wasn't really the kind of win we wanted, but this was a game we had to have, so I am very happy about it."

After the Central defense held on Spencer's first possession, running back Antonio Sanders Jr., who ran for 171 yards in the game, broke loose for a 91-yard touchdown run on the Chargers' second offensive play.

The defense held Spencer again, and after a bad snap, the Chargers tackled the Spencer punter on his own 3. This time, it took Central only one play to score, getting a 3-yard run by Derrick Evans to make it 13-0.

Central added a 37-yard field goal by Temia Flint to make it 16-0 at the end of the first quarter and scored yet again in the second quarter, thanks to another short field. After Carlos Ferguson blocked a punt, Evans found Jakwanis Singleton in the end zone for a 14-yard score to make it a 23-0 game midway through the second quarter.

Spencer, however, did not quit. Sanders Jr. fumbled on Central's next possession, and Spencer's Daymeonta White scooped up the ball and ran it in from 37 yards out to cut the Chargers' lead to 23-6.

Central could not handle the ensuing kickoff, and after a Greenwave recovery, Tyrell White, who ran for 115 yards in the game, scored from 31 yards out to make it a 23-12 game at the half.

Central got another Flint field goal on the first possession of the second half, this time form 33 yards out, but neither team was able to put up much offense in the second half.

Evans ended the game, completing 13-of-24 through the air and for the fifth straight game did not throw an interception, but only accounted for 149 yards. Both teams were plagued by penalties in the second half with a combined 17 penalties called, and 11 of those going against Spencer. Central also lost four fumbles.

This story was originally published September 26, 2015 at 12:05 AM with the headline "Central-Macon holds on to down Spencer ."