Gents Fall At TLU In SCAC Opener

Seguin, Texas – The Centenary football team fell 31-8 in its Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference opener on Saturday evening against the Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs at Bulldog Stadium.

The Gents (0-2) were back in action after their season-opening loss at home to Hendrix College on Sept. 7. Texas Lutheran (2-0) remained undefeated after a season-opening win at Trinity University last weekend.

How it happened:

The Gents started the game on offense and gained just nine yards on three plays. Centenary's punt by sophomore LB/P Vance Feuerbacher (Plano, Texas) was blocked by the Bulldogs and they took over at the Gents' 43-yard line.  

TLU then took an early 3-0 lead as Joaquin Rodriguez connected on a 34-yard field goal with 10:50 on the clock in the first quarter to cap a six-play, 26-yard drive. Following another three-and-out possession by the Gents, the Bulldogs added a touchdown as QB Caden Bosanko hit Henry Lavonta with a 50-yard pass and Rodriguez's PAT made it 10-0 with 8:18 remaining in the period.

Bosanko's 31-yard TD run with 4:56 left in the first quarter and the PAT made it 17-0. A scoreless second quarter followed as the Gents' defense stepped up and forced a pair of punts and sophomore DB Bryan Washington (Wylie, Texas) had an interception. Centenary drove to the TLU 26-yard line on its first possession of the second quarter but freshman K/P Preston Doerner (Bossier City, La.) missed a 43-yard field goal. Centenary had another chance to get on the board with just two seconds remaining in the first half after Washington's pick, but Doerner missed from 20 yards as the Bulldogs took their 17-0 lead into the locker room.

TLU went on a seven-play, 70-yard drive to open the second half and cashed in as Bosanko scored on an eight-yard run and Rodriguez's PAT made it 24-0 with 12:15 left in the third period. The Gents got on the board on their ensuing possession as junior RB Josh Ware (Shreveport, La.) found the end zone from four yards out and they converted a two-point conversion to make it 24-8.

The next two possessions resulted in turnovers by each team as freshman DB Delarrious Marshall (Shreveport, La.) recovered Bosanko's fumble which was forced by sophomore DL Kris Mesloh (Bossier City, La.), but then Centenary freshman QB Kody Fuentes (Baytown, Texas) was intercepted by TLU's Justin Navarro.

Three possessions later, Mesloh blocked Rodriguez's 44-yard FG attempt as he continued to make plays for the Gents' defense. Early in the fourth quarter, TLU scored its final TD of the game as Weston Guzman found the end zone from 28 yards out on the ground and Rodriguez added the PAT to make it 31-8 with 10:56 on the clock.

By the Numbers:

FIRST DOWNS:

CENTENARY – 15

TLU - 21

RUSHING YARDS:

CENTENARY – 22 ATTEMPTS FOR 43 YARDS

TLU – 47 ATTEMPTS FOR 287 YARDS

PASSING YARDS:

CENTENARY - 169 YARDS

TLU - 142 YARDS

TOTAL OFFENSE:

CENTENARY – 68 PLAYS FOR 212 YARDS

TLU - 70 PLAYS FOR 429 YARDS

TIME OF POSSESSION:

CENTENARY – 27:39

TLU – 32:21

Gents' Individual Statistical Leaders

RECEIVING: Junior WR Kobe Chambers (Greenwood, Miss.) – 5 catches for 67 yards

RUSHING: Junior QB Zin'Tavious Smith (Coushatta, La.) – 2 attempts for 20 yards

PASSING: Fuentes – 18-38 for 159 yards and 1 INT

TACKLES: Junior Demetrus Gladney Jr. (Haughton, La.) – 7 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 QB Hurry

The Gents (0-2) will remain on the road in SCAC play next weekend as they will face the Austin College 'Roos in Sherman, Texas at 6 p.m. 

For more information about becoming a Centenary football season or per game sponsor, please contact Assistant AD/Strategic Communications Patrick Meehan at 318-865-5092 or pmeehan@centenary.edu OR Collin Taylor, Development Officer for Athletics, at 318-869-5052 or cbtaylor2@centenary.edu

See the complete Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/fball/2024-25/schedule

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