Fast start lifts Aggies past Centennial

Explosive and efficient.

That summed up Arbor View in the first half on Thursday night.

The Aggies scored 32 first-half points on the way to a 38-13 home victory over Centennial.

Arbor View had five touchdown drives on the night. None lasted more than 53 seconds.

“The kids came out, and they were fired up,” Arbor View coach Dan Barnson said. “It was a TV game, the whole thing, and they wanted to make a statement, and they did.”

Taylor Wooten got things started on the third play from scrimmage, scoring on a 39-yard run to cap a three-play, 67-yard drive.

Wooten had one more big play in the first quarter, scoring on a 42-yard run, and DeMarlo Virgil’s 2-point conversion run made it 14-0.

On their next possession, Thomas Flanagan took a swing pass from Austin Anderson and took it 77 yards for a touchdown, and Wooten’s 2-point conversion run made it 22-0 after one quarter.

Virgil added a 68-yard TD run, and Logan Yunker hit a 40-yard field goal as the Aggies led 32-0 at the half.

“In the first half we came out and did our thing, and that’s kind of what it’s about,” Barnson said.

Centennial quarterback Chris Henderson was efficient running the ball, both in the option game and scrambling. He rushed for 196 yards, including an 81-yard TD run in the third quarter’s first minute.

But the Bulldogs never got the passing game going, as Henderson completed just 5 of 16 for 23 yards. Backup Cody Clark completed 2 of 8, both to Henderson, for 24 yards. Clark was intercepted once.

Wooten rushed for 134 yards to lead the ground game. Flanagan caught four passes for 137 yards, and also had a 32-yard TD run.