Top-Ranked Central Overpowers Enterprise with Dominant Ground Game to Stay Perfect

Top-Ranked Central Overpowers Enterprise with Dominant Ground Game to Stay Perfect

PHENIX CITY – In a hard-fought battle between two top-25 Alabama teams, Central High relied on a relentless ground attack to overcome a second-half deficit and defeat a tough Enterprise squad, 34-21, on Friday night.

Running back Tristan Williams stole the show, rushing for 224 yards and three touchdowns while averaging an impressive 10.7 yards per carry.

The Red Devils (5-0) balanced their offensive attack with a strong performance from senior quarterback Andrew Alford, who threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns.

Central’s offense piled up 265 yards on the ground, wearing down the Wildcats as the game progressed.

Enterprise, now 3-2, showed resilience by leading the No. 1 team in the state during the second half but couldn't hold off Central’s relentless push.

From the opening drive, Central’s offense moved with purpose, capping their first possession with a short-yardage touchdown run by Williams. However, a missed point after touchdown left the Red Devils with a 6-0 lead.

Enterprise responded quickly. The Wildcats took a 7-6 lead after a successful extra point, maintaining their slim advantage into the second quarter. Building on that momentum, Enterprise executed a perfectly timed 20-yard pass to extend their lead to 14-6.

Despite the early setbacks, Central showed their championship pedigree. Just before halftime, receiver Mychel Bass hauled in a crucial slant pass for a touchdown, cutting Enterprise’s lead to 14-13 and keeping Central within striking distance.

The second half belonged to the Red Devils. Central’s defense made key adjustments, shutting down Enterprise’s opening drive after the break.

On the ensuing possession, Williams took control, powering through for a 5-yard touchdown run that gave Central a 20-14 advantage.

Later in the third quarter, Central widened the gap when receiver Brandon Brown snagged a clutch reception to extend the lead to 27-14 with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter.

Enterprise mounted a late comeback attempt, adding a touchdown to trim the deficit to 27-21 with just over five minutes left in the game. But it was too little, too late.

Williams capped off his MVP-caliber night with a 6-yard scoring run, sealing the victory with 1:45 left on the clock.

With the win, Central remains unbeaten and rises to No. 14 in Sports Illustrated’s national top-25 rankings.

The Red Devils will face their biggest challenge of the season on Friday, Sept. 27, when they take on No. 6 IMG Academy (4-1) at 7 p.m. IMG's only loss this season came in a narrow 35-34 defeat to Corner Canyon, setting the stage for a high-stakes national showdown.

Watch live on https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/centralphenix-city-high-school-phenix-city-al/gamaca2b2a104.