Highland beats Covenant Christian, 41-19

Sophomore Milton Schexnayder’s tackled caused a fumble that was returned by Morty Frederick to set up a touchdown that lifted Centerville to a 40-33 home win Friday over Highland Baptist that likely will keep the Bears out of the Division IV playoffs.

Centerville (5-3 overall, 3-2 District 8-A) is expected to open the Class A playoffs with a home game after finishing in the top 16 statewide in the power rankings. Highland (3-3, 3-2), which saw its first two games canceled, is expected to finish just outside the top 16 in Division IV, with only the top 16 teams earning a playoff bid, based on unofficial power rankings from GeauxPreps.com.

The Bulldogs ran for 353 yards, paced by Tyler Gunner’s 163 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Morty Frederick added 78 yards and two TDs and Travis Billiot and Ezra Armstrong each had more than 50 yards, with Armstrong scoring a TD.

Centerville led 13-7 after one quarter and 20-13 at halftime but Highland got two third-quarter touchdowns on a 15-yard pass from Myles Liggans to Sadler Delahoussaye and a run by Liggans to take a 27-19 lead. Gunner’s run later in the quarter made it a 27-26 game.

Kylyn Jones then scored on a 15-yard pass from Liggans to give the Bears a 33-26 lead, but a 44-yard run by Armstrong and a five-yard run from Frederick gave CHS the win.

Liggans completed 19 of 29 passes for 238 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 45 yards and a TD. Delahoussaye added 34 yards rushing and 11 yards and a TD while Matthew Elrod had 100 yards and two touchdowns on four catches and Jones had 90 yards and a TD on seven catches.

Playoff pairings will be announced today by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.