Burleson Centennial head coach Kyle Geller ‘not pleased at all’ following win over Saginaw

Burleson Centennial was dominant in its distirct play opener but still has a long way to go.

Spartan head coach Kyle Geller was “not pleased at all” following his teams’ 40-13 victory over Saginaw on Thursday at Burleson ISD Stadium.

“I thought they played harder than us at times,” Geller said. “We’re undisciplined. Lots of mistakes that should’ve been taken care of a couple weeks ago. We’re still making ‘em. So, not happy at all.”

Geller said he knows what is required for a deep playoff run, and the Spartans didn’t meet the standard in the 27-point win.

Burleson Centennial, the No. 3 team in the Star-Telegram’s Class 5A rankings, had a strong first half, scoring 27 and holding the Rough Riders to one score. In the second half, the Spartans scored 13 and let Saginaw’s offense gain a bit of momentum.

Geller said the difference in play was a “lack of focus.”

“Guys are running the wrong plays,” Geller said. “Guys are getting personal fouls and losing their head, and we don’t learn from it. So, we’re going to have to have a metamorphisis of sorts to get them right.”

Geller said he wants to see his team have an attitude adjustment.

“They have to decide whether they want to look cool or be winners,” Geller said. “That’s it.”

Spartans start strong

Burleson Centennial got off to a hot start led by quarterback Iverson Moore, the Star Telegram’s No. 10 QB to watch in the Fort Worth-area. Moore played cornerback last season but transitioned to quarterback as a senior.

After a rough rider three and out, the Spartans marched down the field in a drive highlighted by a 22-yard run by Darrius Yanez. Burleson Centennial faced fourth an long but decided to roll the dice; the risk paid off and Moore connected witg wide receiver Damien Long for a 29-yard score.

Saginaw’s offense continued to struggle and the Spartans kept fueling the fire. In the following drive, Running back Keyshaun Tucker tallied 19 yards in the drive and Moore capped it off with a 10-yard score.

After yet another Saginaw punt, the Spartans regained control and put together a five play touchdown drive powered by a 65-yard run from Keilan Gregory. They finished it off with a 2-yard score from running back Jaxon Williams.

Saginaw got on the board with a nice, 65-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Roman Morales with 3:48 remaining in the second quarter. The Rough Rider QB rolled to his right and heaved a throw to wide receiver Javier Goff while facing pressure.

Goff kept his balance after the catch, taking it 10 more yards for the touchdown. The Rough Rider’s rough ride continued; the point after was no good.

Before the half, Centennial subbed in quarterback Cesar Beltran, who led a touchdown drive. Beltran’s passing ability changed the look of the Spartan offense. He found Long, who scored for the second time; this time, it was an 18-yard score.

Centennial took a 27-6 lead into the half. The Spartan run defense shined until this point, allowing 9 yards on nine attempts.

A messy second half

Centennial started the second half with a four-play drive, turning the ball over on downs. Saginaw took advantage with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Morales to wide receiver Aidan Collier.

While in the redzone, the Spartans gave the ball right back; the Rough Rider line tipped a pass and it was intercepted by linebacker Jeampy Mukuna. Saginaw had another oppotunity to make noise on offense.

At their own five yard line, Morales connected with Collier for what seemed like a 95-yard score. Defensive back Cole Confessore chased him down, stripping and recovering the ball 91-yards away from the line of scrimmage.

Once again, Centennial couldn’t take advantage. The Rough Riders were marching down the field when Moore, who plays both sides of the ball, made up for his earlier interception with one of his own.

On the next play, Tucker ran for a 78-yard touchdown. In the next Spartan drive following a fumble recovered by Blaine Smith, Tucker added another score, which was the last of the game for either squad. This time, it was for 6-yards.

Notable Performances

Moore finished the game with 39 yards and a touchdown on 3 of 13 passing. He had 56 yards on 11 attempts and a score on his legs. He had one interception.

“I wish he had better protection,” Geller said. “Other than that, Iverson played great,” Geller said. “Maybe one time he had a bad play or misread a play.”

Both Tucker and Gregory found ways to break free. Tucker finished with 150 yards on 14 carries, scoring two touchdowns in the process. Gregory finished with 163 yards on seven carries, averaging 23.2 yards per carry.

“That’s nice to see but we’ll play a lot of people that you can’t just run away from,” Geller said. “We’ll have to execute a lot better to get the ball down the field.”

Long finished with 52 receiving yards and two scores on only three receptions. He said he takes pride in his connection with Moore.

“We just been building it up until we got to this point,” Long said. “It’s like a dynamic duo, at this point.”

Burleson Centennial will face The Colony Cougars at Burleson ISD Stadium on Sept. 15 as district play continues.