Central vs Hughesville, Friday August 31st
Before Friday night, Central Columbia hadn’t faced Hughesville since 2007 and hadn’t beaten them since 2004. In a season with heavy expectations, that meant this group of Blue Jay players had no bad memories to erase against their season-opening opponent, but they played as if they did anyway.
Central Columbia raced to a 31-0 halftime advantage en route to a 45-7 rout of the Spartans Friday night in the 2012 season opener. The running game generated 220 yards and quarterback Jordan Thivierge completed 11 of 15 throws while the defense limited Hughesville to 143 total yards.
The Blue Jays scored two touchdowns in a 21-second span in the second quarter to turn a 7-0 edge into a 21-0 spread. In 2010, when many of the players who are now part of Central Columbia’s experienced core got their feet wet, the Blue Jays scored two touchdowns in three of their 10 games.
The victory was the first for Central Columbia in a season opener since 2007 when they blanked Nanticoke, 40-0.