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By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

The rivalry football game between Central and Calhoun, played under the new LED lights installed at Central High for the first time, Friday night,  was ended with 6:08 left in the third quarter with Central leading 54-0 by mutual agreement, according to game officials of the Central Alabama Officials Association.

The stoppage occurred after Central’s Frank Burke completed a pass for touchdown to Diamonta Johnson and Burke kept for a 2-point conversion.

While game officials and coaches had to separate the two teams after the play, game officials said no punches were thrown, it was not a fight, and no one was disqualified.

They also said the game counts as a win for Central, which officially ties the series at 25-all, according to the Alabama High School Football History Society.

Central improved to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in Class 2A Region 3 play. Calhoun falls to 0-4 and 0-2.

The only injury of note in the contest was suffered by Jamichael Carter who took a helmet to the hip, according to Calhoun head football coach Bill E. Lamar.

Central head football coach Martez Graham said his team “finally played pretty good.” While he said, “It’s been a tough couple of weeks” for his team,  he said, “If we get the same type of effort every week, we will be alright.”

Lamar declined to comment.

Central wasted little time getting on the scoreboard following an interception by Jaquez Bolling. David Baldwin went from the 2-yard line to put the Lions up 6-0 at the 11:36 mark of the first quarter.

Central would add to its lead at the 4:30 mark of the first quarter when Bolling scored on a 4-yard run and Keegan Blackman connected with Johnson for the 2-point conversion. That made it a 14-0 contest.

Calhoun could not catch a break when the Tigers fumbled the ball out of their own end zone for a safety to put the Lions up 16-0 at the 3:53 mark of the first quarter.

Following the safety, Calhoun kicked to Central. That was soon followed by a 32-yard pass from Blackman to Bolling and a 2-point conversion pass from Blackman to Johnson to put the Lions up 24-0 at the 3:34 mark of the first quarter.

Central would score later on a 16-yard run by Bolling and a 2-point conversion by Baldwin at the 8:44 mark of the second quarter to put the Lions up 32-0 in what was turning into a blowout.

Central again wasted little time by scoring after an interception by Johnson.

With first and goal at the Calhoun 10-yard line, Blackman kept for a touchdown to put the Lions up 38-0 with about six minutes left in half.

The Lions would increase their lead with 1:55 left in the half when Malek Hill scored on an 11-yard run and then added the 2-point conversion himself to down the Tigers 46-0 at the half.

The game would mercifully come to a close for Calhoun with the Burke to Johnson touchdown pass and Burke 2-point conversion.

The Calhoun Tigers will travel to W.S. Neal for a non-regional contest Friday while Central will travel New Brockton for another regional bout.