No. 1 CC extends streak to 48 - Mills' touchdown runs help fend off Twin Lakes, 17-12

Quarterback Timmy Mills and split end/defensive back Andrew Hubertz were impressionable freshmen when the Central Catholic football program began what now is a 48-game winningstreak.

Seniors Mills and Hubertz are all grown up now, helping the Class A, No. 1-ranked Knights extend that streak of excellence on Friday night in a 17-12 victory against Twin Lakes at LaRocca Field.

Mills had two touchdown runs, including what proved to be the game-winner from 46 yards out with 5:37 remaining. A well-placed 39-yard punt by Hubertz with 1:23 to play and his sack of Twin Lakes quarterback Cameron Bennington with 59 seconds on the clock sealed the hard-fought victory.

“On the punt, all I tried to do was get the ball off,” said Hubertz, whose punt rolled dead at the Twin Lakes 21-yard line. “On the sack, I just did my job. That was my key I was working on all week. It paid off at the end.

“They definitely came ready to play, and we didn’t. Me, I didn’t play to my full potential. I know that. At the end, I felt like I had to step up. I should have done that the whole game.”

Mills, who accounted for more than 200 yards of total offense, was frustrated that the Knights twice drove inside the Twin Lakes 10-yard line only to be held to a pair of field goal attempts, one of which Matt Bouggy made.

“On my first touchdown, I had to bounce it outside towards the sideline, and Hubertz had a good block on the cornerback,” Mills said. “I got around him and got in. The one in the fourth quarter was a big play for us. The line created the hole for me, and I saw it.

“We always know we can be better and that we never play to our potential. Tonight, Twin Lakes showed they are force to be reckoned with. They came ready, and we had to respond to that.”

In the first half, Central Catholic rolled up nine first downs to Twin Lakes’ one. But in the second half, the Indians had six first downs, one more than the Knights.

“We played real well ... flew to the football,” Indians coach Justin Gardiner said. “A couple of times, we didn’t get off the block. That’s really what it was when (Mills) had a couple of breaks. With a good team like that, you have to play every play and get off a block every chance you can.

“(Mills) took advantage of it when we took a play off. You can’t have that. I’m real proud of our kids. We came in and tried to change the culture. The first step is attitude and effort. That you always can control. I preach that. When we got down (10-0), that was a challenge to us. We came up a little short, but they have the right attitude.”

For CC coach Kevin O’Shea, it wasn’t how the Knights won as much as it was that victory was achieved.

“It wasn’t a crisp night for us, but that’s probably as much what (Twin Lakes) did as what we didn’t do,” O’Shea said. “We completely controlled the first half. We moved the ball up and down the field and had very little to show for it. We didn’t finish our drives.

“At halftime, we talked about finishing drives. Take away two plays, and they really didn’t do a whole lot against us. Part of it is we had some guys playing out of position because of fullback Brad Schrader being hurt (ankle), and then our center, Robby Fortwendel, was out. Will Beardmore, who hadn’t played in two years because of a foot injury, was playing center. I thought we lacked a little bit of patience in our passing game, too.”

Bennington passed for each of Twin Lakes’ two touchdowns, 65 yards to Jared Thayer and 9 yards to Mac Gardiner. The one to Gardiner pulled the Indians (1-2) to within five points.