Football Recap: Centralia's Undefeated Season over After Three Games

After flying high against Collinsville last Friday, Centralia came back down to earth. The Orphans came up short against the Waterloo Bulldogs on Friday, falling 45-21. The Orphans lost against the Bulldogs in their previous head to head back in September of 2024, too, but the margin this time around was even wider than the 27-26 score last time.

Waterloo's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Derez Sayles, who rushed for 135 yards and a pair of TDs while picking up 7.9 yards per carry. Sayles is crushing it when it comes to rushing yards: he's rushed for at least 135 every time he's taken the field this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaleb Osterhage, who rushed for 90 yards and one score on only eight carries.

Having lost for the first time this season, Centralia fell to 2-1. As for Waterloo, they now also have a winning record of 2-1.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Centralia will square off against Granite City at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Waterloo, they will face off against Mascoutah at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. This will be the Bulldogs' first chance to prove their worth in the conference.