SAN ANGELO, TX-- The backfield duo of Malachi Brown and Sam Goodloe torched the San Angelo Stadium turf on Friday night for a crucial 32-28 win over the Richland Rebels.
Brown, just a sophomore finished with 409 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns.
The sophomore QB shattered an 18-year-old school record for most rushing yards in a game with 335. No previous player during Brent Davis' tenure had accomplished what Brown did Friday night.
Roy Bishop set the original record in 2000 with 312 yards rushing
"That doesn't surprise me," Central head coach Brent Davis said of the sophomore's night. "We thought going in we could run the ball. We felt like we had an advantage there. We didn't know we were gonna run it that good, but they kept giving us a five-man box...We just kept taking advantage of it the best we could."
Brown finished the night with nine completions for 74 yards and two touchdowns.
Goodloe also had a season-best night. The senior running back had his first multi-touchdown game. The first-year Bobcat also posted a season-high 71 yards rushing as well as 28 yards receiving to go with his two touchdowns.
"It was huge," Davis praised. "We've been trying to find a running back to make a difference. Bobby [Pena] and Sam both are good running backs, but we haven't been able to make a big play, a splash play with 'em. Tonight, Sam had two of 'em, two really nice, big plays."
Friday's performance was a weight off the senior's shoulders.
"I'm kinda getting the hang of everything," the Reagan County transfer said. "The speed's different. Just adjusting to the offense -- it's a lot different than what I'm used to, but I'm getting it down. We've just gotta keep working at it."
Since senior QB Maverick McIvor went down for the season, the Bobcats have reshaped their identity to a run-heavy team, rather than an explosive downfield team.
Central threw just 19 times in the win over Richland. In the first two games of the season with McIvor, Central was throwing an average of 41 times per game.
"You know, we didn't throw the ball too much and that's probably weird for people around here," Davis said. "But we've gotta do what we've gotta do to win."
Overall, Central finished with 511 yards of total offense in the win.
The Rebels were held to 382 yards of total offense. The highlight of the great defensive play could be the three turnovers forced by the Bobcats, but Central's secondary held SMU commit Rashee Rice to 39 yards receiving and one touchdown in the win.
"We tried to gang tackle him," Davis said. "He still made a few plays...That guy is all the way [Division] one."
WATCH: San Angelo Central Bobcats Head Coach Brent Davis
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Richland had a flying start to the game, scoring 38 seconds into the contest on a 42-yard pass from Gavin Colopy to Shemar Moore to take an early 7-0 lead.
Central answered back with a methodical, 12-play drive capped off with a 10-yard pass from Brown to Christian Gabaldon to tie the game at 7 after Miles Houser split the uprights.
Colopy found Rice for the next Richland score on a 14-yard pass to go up 14-7 late in the first quarter.
Central scored twice unanswered thanks to Goodloe. The senior rushed 12 yards for a score and caught a 32-yard touchdown pass to put Central up 20-14.
Johnson would find the end zone from 23 yards out to give Richland a 21-20 lead going into the half. He would find the end zone late in the third quarter to extend Richland’s lead 28-20.
LISTEN: 1st half analysis with Sam Fowler:
The Bobcat defense held strong, forcing two interceptions in the second half and cracking the door open for Central’s offense.
Brown swung the door open with 2-yard and 9-yard touchdown runs late in the game to put Central on top 32-28 after a couple of failed 2-point conversion attempts.
Richland looked to have Central hemmed in on their own 1 late in the fourth quarter, but a pair of 15-yard penalties kept the drive alive.
The Bobcats are now 31-2 at home over the last five years.
Central (6-2, 3-1) will travel to Hurst L.D. Bell next Friday. A win at Pennington Field next Friday would give Central a chance at a share of the District 3-6A crown in the final week of the season.
Richland (3-4, 1-2) hosts Haltom in week 9.
LISTEN: End of game analysis:
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