Ground game intact, but Hawks fall in heart-breaker to VB

DONNELLSON - Central Lee's ground game was on full display Friday night in the season opener, but a failed-two point conversion left the Hawks just short of their first win since 2019.
Junior quarterback Cory Jones threw for just one yard on one completion on the night, but the Hawks weren't counting on his arm.

Jones opened the scoring with a 45-yard keeper for a touchdown on the Hawks first possession for a 6-0 lead. Jones would finish with 78 yards on nine carries.

Sophomore Chase Johnson carried the bulk of the workload for Central Lee amassing 130 yards on 20 carries for a 6.5 per carry average.

The Hawks would hold the 6-0 advantage through the first quarter before the Warriors got on the board on a one-yard plunge. Van Buren was able to put the 2 pt. conversion over the line for an 8-6 lead and that would be all the scoring in the first half.
The Warriors would score again on the first possession of the second half on 20-year run, but this time the Hawks defense held on the conversion keeping the game within a score at 14-6.

Junior Hunter Gregory would scamper in from 3-yards out with 4:46 left in the third and Johnson would cap it with the two-pointer to tie things up going into the fourth quarter at 14-all.

Van Buren would again grind out a score to take the lead at 20-14 with just over six minutes left in the game.

But the Hawks had their sights on the programs first win since Oct. 25, 2019 and marched back down the field mixing up the run game. Johnson would get into the endzone with 2:17 left to tie the game, but Van Buren's defense put up a stop on the conversion try and was able to run out the clock.

Head Coach Chuck Banks used seven different players out of the backfield, led by Johnson and Jones. Gregory finished with 38 yards and senior Corbin Pohren chipped in with 30 on five carries. Blake Bergman had the only catch of the night for Central Lee for one yard.

Pohren led the Hawks on defense with 9.5 tackles including seven solo. Johnson had seven total tackles from his inside linebacker spot. Brody Fuller had a sack for Central Lee (0-1).

The Hawks travel to Cardinal of Eldon Friday night to take on the Comets who fell 20-0 to Pekin on the road.