THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Central High School Athletics

Central High School will never be know as a smashmouth football team, but Anthony Zubiate puts the zoom in the running game. After a frustrating first half, Central took off with 20 second-half points to beat Grand Junction 33-6 on Friday night at Stocker Stadium. Zubiate, who had four total touchdowns, and a suffocating defense were the difference in the game. Leading only 13-6 at halftime, Zubiate and the Warriors found their stride in the third quarter. Zubiate managed only 33 yards in the first half, but then his quickness and elusiveness were on display, rushing for 105 yards in the third quarter. After a 19-yard run, the senior capped an 11-play drive with a 12-yard TD run on a perfect option pitch from quarterback Max Marsh for a 19-6 lead. After the Warriors forced the Tigers into their fifth 3-and-out of the game, Zubiate showed off his slipperiness with a 62-yard run. Zubiate broke into the open field on a run up the middle, made one cut to make a defender miss, cut to the outside, made another hard cut to split two defenders, and cruised down the sideline for the score. After Zubiate ran in for the two-point conversion, the Warriors' lead was 27-6. "Our coaches gave us a great game plan, and at halftime they told us that the back-side cutback was going to be there, so I looked for it. When I got into the open field, I knew I was going to score," Zubiate said about his long run. Central made some second-half adjustments to run the ball more after Marsh threw for 166 of his 252 yards in the first half. Zubiate finished with 177 yards on 18 carries. Marsh made a nifty scramble in the fourth quarter when he dodged a pass rusher, tucked the ball and scampered in for a 16-yard TD for the final score. Central (2-1) showed that last week's defensive performance in a win over Fruita Monument was no fluke. Throughout the game, the Warriors kept Grand Junction off balance and wrecked the Tigers' rhythm. Shaun Stepisnik forced the sixth 3-and-out of the game to start the fourth quarter when he sacked Grand Junction QB AJ Mariz for a 4-yard loss. Tanner Hickey, Connor Shenk, Patrick Courtney and Corben Miller joined a host of other defenders in stuffing the run and pressuring the Grand Junction passing attack. The Tigers finished with only 130 yards of total offense. "Getting those 3-and-outs makes a huge difference," Stepisnik said. "It gives our offense the momentum and confidence, and knowing that we do those things, we can open it up more on offense." Zubiate, who also played a key role on defense, agreed. "Our coaches put in us great situations to make plays, and like (coach Shawn Marsh) said, when we do those things it puts our offense in a great situation," he said. The first half featured plenty of frustration on both sides because of penalties and a pair of crucial turnovers. Central had a blocking penalty, then an unsportsmanlike penalty to set up a third-and-35. Christian Hafey intercepted Marsh's high pass and after his 39-yard return, Grand Junction was on the move. A Central roughing the passer penalty on fourth down gave the Tigers a first down. Carson Loveridge then made a nice 11-yard run to tie the game at 6-6. The Tigers were poised to possibly tie the game in the second quarter after Mariz broke free with a nifty cutback for a 36-yard run. After moving the ball to the Central 1, the Warriors forced a fumble and recovered it inches from the end zone. In the first half, Zubiate scored on a 1-yard run and a 12-yard pass play.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Central High School Athletics

ZUBIATE'S ZIP - CENTRAL RB LEADS THIRD-QUARTER RUSH IN WIN OVER GJ

DALE SHRULL

The Daily Sentinel | 9/8/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Chancey Bush