Nolensville Outshines Centennial 10-6

Following a scoreless first half, Nolensville's defense outshined Centennial as the Knights picked up a close 10-6 victory over the Cougars at home. After catching the matchup, here's my list of top performers as well as my full game recap.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Performers</h2>    Impressing me down the stretch once again was [player_tooltip player_id='1091839' first='Landon' last='Smotherman'], a wide receiver/athlete at Nolensville High School. Smotherman caught my attention both at the helm of the offense and in the backfield, proving his ability to be a versatile and efficient athlete. Smotherman made several big plays in the first half and hauled in an excellent pass in the fourth quarter for the third-down conversion.   <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/17400258/64ea5e2c2347f208bc7156e1">Tape:</a>     I was also impressed with [player_tooltip player_id='310897' first='Kani'' last='Johnson'], an athlete at Centennial High School. In addition to outstanding size and breakaway speed down the stretch, Johnson caught my attention with his ability to elevate off the ground to haul in the pass. Johnson was highly explosive in the second half, recording a 63-yard run to put the Cougars within field goal range.   <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/16100866/6399ee4d17634a0e28e38474">Tape:</a>     Making his presence known on the defensive end was [player_tooltip player_id='1403443' first='Carson' last='Kelly'], a linebacker/running back at Nolensville High School. Kelly was a crucial defensive weapon for the Knights, proving his ability to read the opposing offense like a book and quickly adapt to make the big play. Kelly hauled in a game-changing interception in the second half and picked up a solid gain after the catch.   <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Q7umf">Tape:</a>     Another defensive playmaker for the Knights was [player_tooltip player_id='1142031' first='Nolan' last='Toennies'], a defensive lineman at Nolensville High School. Toennies caught my eye at the line of scrimmage, showcasing his ability to lock down offensive playmakers in the pocket. I also liked how Toennies utilized his size and arm strength, proving he can quickly overpower his opponent and create chaos for the offense.   <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2QBhd4">Tape:</a>     Also making a huge impact was Brennan Rexrode, an athlete at Nolensville High School. Rexrode made a huge difference on the defensive side of the ball for the Knights, proving his ability to recover the loose ball and break free from the defense in the backfield. Rexrode recorded an impressive scoop-and-score in the third quarter to put the home team up 10-0 on Centennial.   <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2QBk0W">Tape:</a>     Another prospect to make his presence known was [player_tooltip player_id='1515703' first='Riley' last='Turner'], a quarterback at Centennial High School. Turner impressed me at the helm of the Cougars' offense, showcasing his ability to execute quickly off the snap and scan the backfield for open receivers. I also liked how Turner could adapt to pressure and utilize his footwork to break tackles. Turner also stood out with his solid decision-making and ability to connect with his receivers in crucial moments.   <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Q84a8">Tape:</a>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Game Recap</h2>   Centennial and Nolensville were evenly matched in the first half of the contest as neither team would be able to find their way into the endzone during the first two quarters. Nolensville's defense was especially phenomenal throughout the first half, locking down receivers down the stretch to keep things scoreless. Nolensville's offense looked real strong in the first two quarters as [player_tooltip player_id='1091839' first='Landon' last='Smotherman'] showcased his talent both at the helm of the offense and in the backfield as a receiver. Despite some great throws from Centennial quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1515703' first='Riley' last='Turner'] in the first half, the Cougars' offense was unable to battle their way to the house in the wet, rainy field conditions. At the end of the first half of action, Centennial and Nolensville were tied 0-0. The second half of play was much more interesting as [player_tooltip player_id='1403443' first='Carson' last='Kelly'] would pick off the Cougars' offense and run the ball all the way to the 27-yard line. Before long, Nolensville held a 3-0 lead over Centennial. The Knights' defense continued to showcase their talent as Brennan Rexrode would recover the loose ball and take it all the way to the house for the touchdown. Centennial would trim the lead in the fourth quarter, kicking through two field goals as Nolensville led 10-6 entering the final minutes of the game. Centennial's offense would move the ball all the way to 21-yard line before Nolensville's defense picked up the final stop of the contest as the Knights won 10-6 over the Cougars.

Following a scoreless first half, Nolensville's defense outshined Centennial as the Knights picked up a close 10-6 victory over the Cougars at home. After catching the matchup, here's my list of top performers as well as my full game recap.