By: David Wells
It’s going to be a good week for somebody.
As Centennial and Brentwood High Schools prepare for their Friday matchup in Franklin, they both enter the game in an unusual position: they’re both winless.
Brentwood, still shocked from their season-opening loss at CPA, lost their home opener on Friday despite scoring four touchdowns.
Centennial, meanwhile, has yet to find a solution for a defense that has failed to back up back-to-back stellar performances from running back Deon Sanders.
Sanders, whose 293 rushing yards are second in the district, has not been enough to carry Centennial through its first two losses. In its 48-31 Week 0 loss at Clarksville Northeast, Sanders posted 190 yards, while Northeast rushed for 553 yards.
Brentwood’s offensive strength has been in its passing game, and while the Bruins may exploit Centennial’s poor run defense, they may want to stick to their guns.
Quarterback Aaron Maher currently leads the Bruins in rushing yards, but that’s not saying much; Maher has rushed for 140 yards in the first two games, in contrast to his 331 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Brentwood’s lack of a go-to running back may give Centennial’s defense a bit of a respite from the solid running games it has faced over the past two weeks; however, Maher’s ability to run could cause the Cougars some trouble.
The winner of this matchup heads into next week with the opportunity to even out the overall record and begin the District 11-AAA schedule undefeated. The loser faces a three-game hole and more must-win games down the road for a playoff berth.
Friday’s game kicks off at 7 p.m.
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