With the Explorers up 20-3 midway through the third quarter, Mother Nature decided to interrupt things after the skies opened after intermission. The game was halted for 40 minutes before Columbus scored on its first play from scrimmage. Then a second lightning delay took the teams from the field before the game was ultimately halted.
Northern Illinois commit
Kai Moore threw for 148 yards and a touchdown while the rushing attack scored twice, once from 1 yard and once on a 39-yard burst during the deluge.
Brian Wilson Jr. and
Cecil Smith each found paydirt on the ground.
The Explorers held the Rockets to 82 yards of offense in the opening half, limiting their Greater Miami Athletic Conference foe to 28 yards on the ground. Columbus sophomore sophomore Wilson opened the scoring in the first quarter and then the Explorers added a big-play strike from quarterback Moore to
Tyler Bryant that went for 56 yards to open a 14-0 lead.
Miami Central added a 31-yard field goal on the final play of the half to trim the lead to 14-3.
Columbus wide receiver Tyler Bryant races for a first-half score for the No. 6 Explorers in their 28-3 win over No. 22 Miami Central on Friday (PHOTO: Jeff Klein)
Both the Explorers and Rockets are looking for one of eight spots in the inaugural Open Division postseason bracket. At the end of the season, the top eight ranked teams based on the MaxPreps computer rankings will compete in a winner-take-all showdown to see who is the best team in the Sunshine State.
The eight qualifiers will be placed in two pools of four with the top two teams from each pool advancing to a single-elimination bracket to crown a Florida Open Division champion.
Miami Central (6-2) hosts
North Miami Beach (Fla.) on Oct. 22. Miami Central (8-1) travels to
Northwestern (Miami, Fla.) on Oct. 23.
