Sophomore running back
Joe Yearby, who was named a
U.S. Air Force Freshman All-American by MaxPreps last season, showed why he's one of the most impressive sophomores in the country, accounting for five total touchdowns to help
Central (Miami, Fla.) beat city rival and No. 24-ranked
Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 37-34.
Joe Yearby breaks away on Friday night.
Photo by Lou Novick
The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Yearby finished with 292 rushing yards on 29 carries.
It was a back-and-forth battle between the two talent-laden programs.
Yearby scored his first touchdown from 3 yards out early in the first quarter to give Central a 7-0 lead.
Columbus running back
Brandon Radcliffe answered with a touchdown of his own to tie the game 7-7.
After its defense recorded a safety, Central again turned to Yearby, who busted free on a 37-yard touchdown run, giving Central a 16-7 lead.
A
Darryl Chestnut touchdown run for Columbus narrowed the gap to 16-14.
Yearby's third touchdown, this one from 13 yards out, gave Central a 23-14 lead at the half.
Once again, Columbus responded, as the seesaw battle continued into the third quarter. This time, it was Chestnut again. He slipped past the Central defense to make it 23-21 with 8:53 left in the third.
Yearby's fourth touchdown, a 5-yard score with 6:09 left in the third quarter, gave Central a 30-21 lead.
Trailing by nine points, Columbus launched its comeback.
A Radcliffe 46-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter coupled with a
Garrett Fortner 26-yard score in the fourth gave Columbus a 34-30 lead with just four minutes remaining in the game.
Central once again drove down the field, but unlike its previous drives, it did not come up short. With 22 seconds of play, Yearby found the end zone for a fifth time, scoring on a 3-yard touchdown run to secure a wild victory for the Rockets.
Yearby projects to be a top recruit in the class of 2014 and is a contender for Sophomore Player of the Year honors.
