California gives Woods win, slips past Beth-Center
California’s Ed Woods during a game against Beth-Center during a game at Beth-Center on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019.
Beth-Center’s coach Joe Kuhns during a game against California at Beth-Center on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019.
Observer-Reporter
Beth-Center’s Colby Kuhns tries to break the hold of California’s Seth Rerricha during the opening game of the 2019 season.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Beth-Center’s Dalton White closes in on of California’s Cochise Ryan during a game at Beth-Center on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019.
California’s Lucas Qualk picks up yards against Beth-Center during a game at Beth-Center on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
California’s Malik Ramsey makes the catch against Beth-Center’s Andrew Bower during a game at Beth-Center on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019.
Beth-Center’s Dajion Devers tackles California’s Cochise Ryan during a game at Beth-Center on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
California’s Malik Ramsey picks up yards against Beth-Center during a game Friday.
FREDERICKTOWN – For 17 seasons, Ed Woods was the head of the Beth-Center football program. He took a three-season hiatus before returning to a head coaching position at California this year.
Sure enough, Woods’ first opponent in his return season was the school he spent nearly two decades coaching, Beth-Center.
Woods and the Trojans defeated the Bulldogs 32-27 in a back-and-forth, down-to-the-wire game behind strong efforts from California’s first-year quarterback Cochise Ryan and senior running back Lucas Qualk. Ryan tallied three rushing touchdowns and accounted for over 150 yards of offense, and Qualk finished with 119 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns, both of which came in the fourth quarter.
While it was the first time Woods had coached against the Bulldogs, he was focused on how his players responded to adversity, particularly overcoming three turnovers on fumbles.
“My focus was on evaluating players and getting them ready for our first section game next week. After seeing what happened tonight, we have a lot of work,” Woods said. “It was a step in the right direction, I liked how the kids didn’t quit. The effort I thought they gave was tremendous.”
The teams traded touchdowns midway through the first half as California (1-0) opened the scoring before Beth-Center (0-1) answered to tie the game at 6-6. California got its second rushing touchdown from Ryan late in the second quarter, adding a two-point conversion run to give the Trojans a 14-6 lead at halftime.
The Bulldogs came out firing in the second half, scoring on its first two drives of the third quarter to take a 20-14 lead on touchdown passes of 85 yards and 42 yards by sophomore Colby Kuhns.
California tied the score at 20-20 with 10:56 to go in the fourth quarter with Ryan’s third rushing score of the game after he picked off Kuhns on the first play of the quarter.
“We had it rolling and then we threw the pick to start the fourth quarter that kind of brought them back into it … that gave them a little bit of life,” Beth-Center head coach Joe Kuhns said. “Mistakes and kids playing their first game, things that if you have a second scrimmage maybe don’t happen in the first game … I think if we get those things polished up, we’re going to have a pretty solid season.”
Qualk gave the Trojans the lead, 26-20, on their next drive with a 15-yard run before Beth-Center took the lead right back on a 43-yard run by Devin Dingle to make the score 27-26. California, though, answered right back when Qualk broke free for a 40-yard score with just 1:06 remaining on the clock to put the game away for good.
“The thing is, the kids are buying in to what we’re trying to teach. This is all new to them – new offense, new defense and new special teams,” said Woods.
“For Cochise to come out here and be able to handle the ball as well as he did being a first-year quarterback, I’m real pleased with where he is at. He definitely has to get better and can get better, but what he did tonight for the first time, I’m really proud of what he accomplished.”