Ryan Roddy
Section618.com

CENTRALIA – Follwing a three game road trip, the Centralia Orphans returned to Evers Field for Homecoming Friday night and used a big second half to beat the Althoff Crusaders 16-7.

The Orphans got on the board first with a 39-yard field goal from kicker Will Graham early in the first quarter. It remained 3-0 until nearly midway through the second quarter.

The Crusaders took the lead with 6:41 left in the half when quarterback Braylon Grayson connected with Taylor Powell for a 43-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-3 Althoff at the half.

Centralia regained the lead late in the third quarter when quarterback Carson Green scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 10-7.

Outside of the long touchdown pass in the second quarter, the Orphans’ defense led by senior and recent Southeast Missouri State commit JehChys Brown, wreaked havoc on the Crusaders by getting pressure on Grayson and knocking down passes, especially in the 4th quarter.

The Orphans capped the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Green to Cam Newcomb with 4:24 to go to seal the Orphans’ fourth win of the season.

This was the final conference meeting between the two teams as Althoff is leaving the South 7 after this season. The Crusaders are on the Orphans’ schedule next season as a non-conference foe in week 3.

Centralia improves to 4-1, 2-0 and tied for the conference lead with Mt. Vernon. The Orphans will head to Cahokia next Friday. Althoff falls to 2-3 (0-2). The Crusaders will host Marion next Friday.