Coach Bryson Rosser’s Central Bobcats defeated the Summit Spartans 30-7 in the TSSAA Class 5A state championship at Tucker Stadium in Cookeville, Tennessee, on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY DAVE LINK
COOKEVILLE — Quarterback Dakota Fawver couldn’t ask for a better finish to his high school football career.
Nor could his senior teammates at Central.
Fawver threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns as the Bobcats beat Summit of Spring Hill 30-7 Friday night in the 2019 Class 5A BlueCross Bowl at Tennessee Tech’s Tucker Stadium.
Fawver completed 16 of 21 passes and was selected most valuable player of the game after the Bobcats (13-2) clinched their second consecutive state championship.
“It’s awesome,” Fawver said. “I get to ride off into the sunset with two state championships. I’m very blessed.”
Central coach Bryson Rosser felt blessed to coach Fawver.
“Dakota, oh man, that’s my guy right there,” said Rosser, a former quarterback at Tennessee State. “From one QB to another, the things he went through, especially as a sophomore, that horrible leg injury (Fawver had). They said he would never be the same, he couldn’t do this, he couldn’t do that, he’s undersized for colleges and so on. That guy just wins. The kid has like four losses in three years as a player. I mean, if you can’t respect that, I don’t know what you can respect. He’s an unbelievable kid. I’m so happy I got a chance to coach him.”
Rosser was able to savor the late stages of Friday’s victory more than last year when the Bobcats edged Henry County 14-9 for the first state football title in Central history.
The Bobcats had control in the fourth quarter against Summit (12-3).
“It’s sweeter (than the 2018 championship),” Rosser said “The first one was great and you kind of had that shock therapy, but especially the way this game went, you had a good feeling toward the end. Again, when our kids come out and do what they’re supposed to do and execute, it just makes it sweeter.”
Senior Isaiah Osborne led Central receivers with seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown, while junior Liam Fortner had four catches for 43 yards and senior Braden Gaston had three catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Central held Summit to seven first downs and 269 total yards (132 rushing, 137 passing).
Sophomore quarterback Destin Wade completed 5 of 17 passes for 127 yards and was intercepted three times. He was sacked three times and pressured on multiple other occasions.
The Spartans averaged 3.47 yards on 38 rushing plays.
“Watching film, we knew we had a great game plan coming in, and we just bottled them up and stopped the run game,” said Central junior linebacker Kalib Fortner, twin brother of Liam Fortner.
Central had a 24-0 halftime lead.
The Bobcats scored on their second possession, starting at their 34-yard line.
Eight plays later, Fawver threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Osborne. Jarred Swislosky added the PAT kick for a 7-0 lead with 4 minutes, 52 seconds left in the first quarter.
Summitt’s next drive lasted two plays and ended with junior Jadin Horton intercepting a pass by Wade, whose twin brother Keeton is the starting tailback.
Central made it 14-0 early in the second quarter on Jason Merritts’ 5-yard run, capping a 61-yard, nine-play drive.
Summitt helped with a pass interference penalty on the play prior to Merritts’ TD run.
The Spartans then drove from their 18-yard line to Central’s 8, where Wade threw a pass into the end zone that was intercepted by Gaston.
Central needed just five plays and another pass interference penalty to score.
Fawver threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Gaston, and Swislosky’s PAT kick made it 21-0 with 5 minutes left in the half.
“I felt good. We were here last year,” Fawver said. “I’ve been blessed to play in a lot of big games in my life, and coach Rosser always prepares us really well. We just look at it as another game, not necessarily a state championship game. It’s another game to come out here and go 1-0.”
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Summitt committed another turnover on its next drive.
Facing a third-and-5 situation at Central’s 31, Wade was hit by Liam Fortner in the backfield, and his fumble was recovered by Malik Robinson.
Central started at its 37 and moved to the Spartans’ 16 on eight plays.
Swislosky booted a 35-yard field goal as the halftime expired for a 24-0 lead.
Central had 15 first downs and 199 total yards at halftime – all on the ground. The Bobcats had 17 rushes for minus-5 yards, while Fawver was 14-of-17 passing for 200 yards and two touchdown passes.
Summit gained six first downs and 131 total yards in the first half (117 rushing and 14 passing).
“As they say, defense wins championships,” Rosser said. “They gave one hell of an effort last week against a strong West team and just came out even stronger tonight. I’m just so proud of those guys, coach (Nick) Craney, that staff, everything they were able to do, and here it is, state champs.
The Spartans got on the board on the opening drive of the second half with Destin Wade scoring on a 1-yard run. Wade threw a 61-yard pass to George Odimegwu for the big play of the drive.
Elijah Mooney’s PAT kick cut the deficit to 24-7 with 8:41 left in the third quarter.
Central moved to Summit’s 41 and was forced to punt.
The Spartans drove from their 20 and had first-and-goal at Central’s 8.
After two running plays netted zero yards, Wade was sacked by Kalib Fortner for an 11-yard loss.
On fourth-and-goal at the 19, Wade completed a 13-yard pass to Keeton Wade, and Central got the ball back with 11:41 left.
Central’s next drive stalled, and Ryan Bolton booted a 62-yard punt.
Summiutt started at its 18 – and went backward.
Wade was sacked twice and threw an incomplete pass, and the Spartans punted from their 2-yard line.
“It started the last couple of games of the season,” Fortner said of the stingy defense. “We figured we had to step it up and we stepped it up big time here in the postseason.”
Starting from Summit’s 19, the Bobcats scored in four plays.
Senior Jason Merritts ran 8 yards for the touchdown, and after Swislosky’s PAT attempt was blocked, the Bobcats had a 30-7 lead with 6:03 to play.
On Summit’s next play, Wade’s pass was intercepted by Eunique Valentine and returned to the Spartans’ 48.
Central went three and out, and Bolton punted 30 yards to Summit’s 10.
The Spartans stalled after three plays, punted, and Central ran out the clock.
“It feels great because like I said before, I’m not sure anybody expected us to be here except us,” Rosser said. “We knew what was ahead of us. We knew the challenges that were there, and our kids just decided, ‘Hey, it wasn’t going to go that way. We’re going to get back and show people that we’re not just a good team, we’re a solid program, and that you need to finally respect us, especially after this accomplishment.’
“I just couldn’t be prouder of the guys and everything they did. They completely bought into everything that we teach them on and off the field. Obviously you see what the product is. It’s definitely more than just wins and losses, but this is the sweetest thing ever.”
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