Central football team makes quick work of Dupo to start Class 1A playoff run

CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Dupo football team was barely off the bus after the long trip from the southern part of St. Louis Metro East area before Central had three touchdowns on the scoreboard Saturday.

Frustrated Dupo fans who made the 115-mile trip had to be escorted from the visitor’s side track to behind the chain link fence by Central athletic director Matt Long for the rest of the game as they were not happy with their team getting dominated from the opening kickoff.

Central was up 38-0 early in the second quarter of the Class 1A opening-round playoff game, and its second scoop-and-score defensive touchdown of the first half made it 54-0 going into halftime. The running clock made the second half a little less painful for Dupo before the 66-0 final.

Central (10-0) rolled up 335 yards rushing as a cavalcade of 12 running backs toted the rock, led by senior Issac Genenbacher’s 95 yards and an offensive line that made sure even the dive plays were picking up yards in chunks.

Central, the No. 2 seed in its half of the bracket, will play Sesser-Valier, a 49-12 winner over Moweauqa Central A&M, in next week’s second round.

But when Central coach Brad Dixon gathered his team after the handshakes, he wanted to address that Dupo (5-5) was driving at the end of the blowout, but the Panthers defense held firm and stopped the Tigers at the 3-yard line as time expired to preserve the shutout.

“I love the culture of our defense,” Dixon said. “Everyone fights for each other and everyone wants to keep the other team out of the endzone.”