Central running back Joseph Yearby rushed for a pair of touchdown runs and he and Dalvin Cook proved they are one of the best running tandems in the country following a 50-21 win at Don Bosco Prep on Saturday.
File photo by Marc Estrada
If the running tandem of
Dalvin Cook and
Joseph Yearby didn't prove they are the nation's best running tandem before, they sure made a convincing case on Saturday.
The
Central (Miami, Fla.) duo combined for five touchdowns in a 50-21 rout at one of the nation's most respected and renowned programs
Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.).
Cook, a Florida commit, rushed for 157 yards on 10 carries and scored on runs of 55, 36 and and 10 yards and Yearby (headed to Miami) added 125 yards on 14 carries a pair of 16-yard TD runs as the Rockets not only won a key out-of-state game for their own No. 9 national ranking, but one for the state of Florida as well.
Da'vante Phillips also had two superb touchdown grabs from quarterback
Keith Reed for the Rockets (3-1), who have rebounded nicely since a tough 28-17 loss to the nation's No. 1 team and Miami rival Booker T. Washington.
Dalvin Cook rushed for 157 yards and 3 TDs.
File photo by Stuart Browning
Don Bosco had defeated Florida powers the last two seasons, but Central's convincing victory helped further the Sunshine State's reputation as one of the nation's best.
It was a tough turnaround for Bosco which lost a tough overtime game on the West Coast
last week to Mission Viejo. Don Bosco Prep still boasts an impressive 20-4 record against out-of-state opponents.
Bosco (1-2) actually jumped out on this one with the game's first touchdown on a 6-yard pass from
Frank Nutile to
Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks, and it held a 7-3 lead after the first quarter.
But Central's speed began taking over in the second quarter.
Cook broke free on a 55-yard touchdown to put the Rockets up 10-7. Bosco came right back with a nice return and scoring drive capped with a 3-yard touchdown run by Ibitokun-Hanks to go up 9:13 left in the half.
Cook struck again, but this time on defense. He intercepted a pass, setting up a 16-yard Joseph Yearby touchdown but after the extra point missed, Central led 16-14 with 5:52 left in the half.
On the ensuing drive, Central recovered a fumble and had to drive just 25 yards capped by a touchdown pass to Phillips. The two-point conversation failed, leaving the score at 22-14 with 3:43 left in the half.
Once again Bosco fumbled, this time inside its own 10. Again Phillips made a touchdown grab in the back of the end zone, giving Central a 29-14 lead with 1:43 left in the half.
Cook made it 36-14 with a 36-yard touchdown run to put Central in complete command 36-14, though Bosco returned the favor with a 39-yard touchdown pass to
Dan Yankovich with 6:11 left in the third.
Once again, the dynamic rushing duo of Yearby and Cook made their mark. Cook rushed for his third touchdown of the night, putting the Rockets up 43-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
Yearby apparently wanted to keep up with his partner in rushing and ripped off a 16-yard TD run, making it 50-21 with 7:53 left.
Florida closed the gap to 4-3 against New Jersey schools in games played between the two states since 2003.
