DANVILLE, Ky. - The Berry College Vikings spoiled senior night for the Centre College Colonels, winning 31-13 to extend their win streak to five and remain undefeated in conference play.
On a perfect day for football, a good return got the first quarter going for Centre at their 40. The Colonels immediately set themselves back to the 35 after their center earned a false start. Carver Cole set them back even further, carving into the backfield to place Centre at their 31. With a long way to go and a tenacious Vikings defense, the Colonels' first possession quickly came to an end. The punt set Berry up on their own 33. The Vikings got ahead of schedule on the first down with a play action pass to Bryce Herring, leaving only 3 yards to earn the first, but Berry couldn't convert as the Colonels' defense stepped up to ground the air attack, forcing a punt. With 9 minutes on the clock, Centre finally created some offense, moving the chains for the first 1st down of the game for either team. However, they couldn't keep that momentum going and eventually had a punt from midfield that put the Vikings inside the one. With no room to breathe, Berry put the ball in the hands of Jake Turner to start the drive. The Danville crowd erupted, thinking they broke the tie, the Centre rush stifling the run, but forward progress saved the Vikings from a safety. Inches away from giving up two, the Vikings ran a QB sneak to alleviate the threat, and the next play, Andrew Hunter did what he does best, muscling through the defense to earn Berry a renewed set of downs. Working the ball up the field, the Vikings elected to keep it on the ground. Staying on the ground paid off. Josh Rogers broke a tackle and took it in from 69 yards out to put the Vikings on the board first with thirty seconds left in the quarter. After a good run by Centre, the first quarter came to a close. The Vikings were up 7-0.
Following the successful rush that ended the first, Centre mostly looked to keep the ball on the ground. However, the Colonels couldn't hold onto it, and Alex Mincey recovered a fumble to set the Vikings up on Centre's 34. The Colonels kept Berry to very minimal gains, resulting in a fourth-down situation. The Vikings decided to go for it on fourth down to avoid a deep kick into the wind, and Christian Lewis showed off his vision, throwing a 24-yard dart to Cameron Coleman to keep the drive alive. From the 8, the Vikings kept the ball in Andrew Hunter's hands. The Vikings managed to get to the 3 before they were forced to settle for a field goal. Looking to put some points on the board, Centre's offense began the drive slinging the ball down the field, getting quick conversions from the pass. However, a sack from Jaden Melville put the Colonels in a third-and-long situation, and they eventually stalled out. The punt set Berry up at their own 44. The Vikings make short work of their drive as a big play by Bryce Herring gives the offense the position for a dime by Christian Lewis, putting it on the money to Brendan Gray up the middle for a 41-yard touchdown. Down 17, the Colonels got a spark before the two-minute warning in the form of a 28-yard gain to Berry's 37. Centre made a few more plays to close the distance to the goal before calling a timeout. Following the break, Centre made an 18-yard completion for a touchdown, finally getting on the board with 59 seconds left in the quarter. Following the return, Berry elected to run out the clock, taking a ten-point lead into halftime. The score 17-7.
The Vikings got the ball first to start the second half. Berry worked their way down to Centre's 27, but the Colonel's defense forced a turnover on downs, giving their offense the ball. The Colonels found a spark, creating a big play for a gain of 19 yards. Centre was looking to keep the ball moving, but a big hit by Christopher Lewis on third down ended their drive, forcing them to punt. The Vikings couldn't keep the ball out of their hands for long, however, as the Colonels' defense made a read ending in an interception that put them at Berry's ten-yard line. The offense didn't waste the chance their defense created for them, immediately converting a touchdown. With a chance to bring themselves within a field goal, the Colonel's missed the extra point, leaving the deficit at four points. Berry started their drive at their 45. With momentum on their side and the defense forcing Berry into third and long, the crowd rallied behind them, getting loud as the Vikings set up the snap. Their excitement was short-lived as Christian Lewis rebounded from the interception and found Bryce Herring in the middle of the field to create a new set of downs. The Centre crowd started to light up, as their run defense stifled the Vikings into a second and eleven set, but Cameron Coleman put them out, breaking free down the field for a 36-yard touchdown with a minute left in the third quarter. Centre elected to run the quarter out. The score 24-13 entering the fourth.
The Colonels needed to execute to get within striking distance again, and they showed some life to start the fourth quarter, getting into the red zone on a 43-yard pass. Despite the huge play, Centre couldn't hit the pay dirt as Brooks Thompson stepped up to force a turnover on downs at Berry's 13. With the game all but over, Berry decided to mostly keep it on the ground. But Centre's defense clogged the running lanes and got the ball back with eight minutes left. Slinging it through the air, two big completions set them up in the red zone, but they couldn't convert, Chaz Pope keeping their red-zone woes alive with an interception. With five minutes left, the Vikings once again tried to keep it on the ground, and Centre's defense stepped up and forced another punt, earning the offense another opportunity. The drive got off to a rough start as the Centre quarterback took a sack. Just when the Centre crowd thought it couldn't get any worse, the Vikings' pressure forced the Centre quarterback to throw a dime of a shovel pass to Cade Petty, who almost converted the pick-six, but instead started the Vikings at Centre's four-yard line. They kept the ball in Andrew Hunter's hands, but instead of letting him run it in, he threw a pass to Nate Lyons to run up the score 31-13 with a minute left in the game. Centre kept moving the ball through the air, but there were no miracles in store for them as the game expired, the Vikings taking it 31-13.
The Vikings come back to Mount Berry for their Senior Day next Saturday, November 8th, to host the Maryville Scots at 1:00 p.m.
