COZAD – After a rocky beginning to the 2010 season, the Cozad Haymaker football team looked to rebound at home as the Centura Centurions came to Haymaker Memorial Field.
The game was exciting all four quarters, as both teams flexed their offensive muscle. In the end, Centura slipped away in the fourth quarter, handing Cozad a 32-14 defeat.
“This was a tough game to lose,” head coach Ron Bubak said. “We have to go back to practice and try to get better for next week’s game.”
Cozad struck first as quarterback Jed Paulsen found receiver Kyle Carlson in the back of the endzone on a 19-yard pass play to give Cozad the early 7-0 advantage.
The very next drive, Centura chipped away at the Cozad defense, driving down the field and scoring with 1:51 remaining in the opening quarter. Centura missed the PAT attempt, as Cozad remained on top 7-6.
Centura finally took their first lead of the game with 6:30 in the second quarter as Jacob Hickok ran in from three yards out. Centura failed their second straight PAT to lead 12-7.
The Haymakers would answer right before halftime as Jo-Al Alejandro scored his first rushing touchdown of the season, a two-yard scamper as Pedro Garcia made the extra point to put Cozad back in the lead at 14-12.
Centura would pull away at halftime, as Austin Caspersen picked off a Jed Paulsen pass and took it 30 yards to the end zone. Centura couldn’t get a PAT, as they failed a third-straight extra point to give Centura an 18-14 lead at the half.
Cozad clung onto the two-point lead for the entire third quarter as no team could put one in the endzone.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Centura all but sealed the deal when Jared Rosenquist took off for 67 yards for the touchdown. Then Centura finally converted on a two-point conversion, extending their lead to 26-14.
Cozad missed their opportunity in the fourth quarter to come back and on Centura’s final drive of the night, put the nail in the coffin as Rosenquist scored again, this time from 10 yards out, but missied the conversion attempt, making the score 32-14.
The game ended by that score, handing Cozad their second straight loss and dropping to a 0-2 hole, while Centura is back at square one, improving to 1-1.
Alejandro finished with a stellar game on the ground for the Haymakers, rushing the ball 24 times for 148 yards and one touchdown.
Paulsen finished with nine carries for 28 yards, while throwing 4 for 7 for 55 yards for one score and one interception.
Kyle Carlson was the leading receiver for the second straight game, as he nabbed three balls for 41 yards and one touchdown.
The Cozad offense nearly triple its offense from the week prior, ending with 264 yards of total offense.
Cozad will be on the road once again Friday, as they look for their first win of the season against Gibbon. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

• Cozad Haymakers

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