Sports

Hornets Win the Battle of Roswell

Friday's wild game was the season opener for both teams.

There's nothing like a rollicking opener against your crosstown rival to get the football season off in the right direction. 

That's how the Roswell Hornets feel today after downing Centennial 39-30 Friday.

After both teams went 3-7 last year, they were looking especially forward to the 2013 season opener. 

In a game that went back-and-forth all night, Roswell finally got the upper hand in the second half and turned back every challenge by the Knights. 

In the first half, Centennial's Alex Richmond excited the home fans with an 80-yard kickoff return to build a 17-9 lead for the Knights. But it didn't last long, as Roswell responded with an 80-yard touchdown drive to trail 17-16.

That set the tone for the rest of the evening. 

Roswell led 26-17 in the second half, then Centennial cut the margin to 26-23 before the Hornets went up 33-23.

Centennial had an answer on a long pass play to Caden Herring, whose touchdown got the Knights to within 33-30. 

But the Hornets went on a decisive drive, running six minutes off the clock for a final touchdown and the last points of the game. 

Next week, Roswell has its home opener against Lambert, while Centennial plays at Etowah. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here