Tom Reck
Tribune-Star Correspondent
Famersburg —
North Central got back on the winning side of the ledger Friday night in football, defeating Tecumseh 47-7 in its first home game of the season.
Zach Lyday completed 17 of 27 passes for 259 yards and four touchdowns to pass the Thunderbirds as they improved to 2-1 for the season.
Dante Rehmel caught two of the touchdown passes and Cody Adams ran for two touchdowns and a two-point conversion while Zach Lyday kicked four extra points in that game that started late and took about three hours to play.
The Thunderbirds took the opening kickoff and needed just four plays to score with Zach Lyday hitting Nate Lyday with a 15-yard pass for the score to go up 6-0.
The Braves responded with a 75-yard drive to go up 7-6 with freshman quarterback Adam Gannon hitting Jason Gowers with a 12-yard scoring pass.
North Central scored the next 41 points and took the lead for keeps on Zach Lyday's 19-yard pass to Aaron Bellgraph. Adams followed with his two-point conversion run to put the Thunderbirds ahead 14-7.
They had a 21-7 lead at the end of the first period and were up 34-7 at the intermission.
North Central recovered a Tecumseh fumble on the second-half kickoff to hike its lead and intercepted a pass to set up the final score of the night.
“I was proud of the way the kids played tonight. They played with great effort. They fought. They played fast and finished tonight,” said North Central coach Brian Crabtree.
The Thunderbirds will be on the road again next week, going to North Vermillion, while 0-3 Tecumseh plays Union in its first home game.
Tecumseh 7 0 0 0 — 7
North Central 21 13 13 0 — 47
NC — Nate Lyday 15 pass from Zach Lyday (kick failed) 11:06 1Q
T — Gowers 12 pass from Gannon (Forston kick) 6:32 1Q
NC — Bellgraph 19 pass from Zach Lyday (Adams run) 2:09 1Q
NC — Vanshoyck 5 run (Z. Lyday kick) 21.8 1Q
NC — Rehmel 30 pass from Z. Lyday (kick failed) 10:04 2Q
NC — Adams 4 run (Z. Lyday kick) 41.1 2Q
NC — Rehmel 8 pass from Z. Lyday (kick failed) 9:41 3Q
NC — Adams 4 run (Z. Lyday kick) 2:05 3Q
Next — Next Friday, North Central (2-1) is at North Vermillion. Tecumseh (0-3) hosts Union.
