The game started out as a low scoring, defensive battle. Both teams also accumulated many fouls early on. The score at the end of the first was 12-7 in Centennial’s favor.

A minute into the second quarter, junior Aaron Adams came storming out on a fast break, and instead, of floating the ball up for a lay-up, he slammed the ball down with one hand and authority, for a dunk. This pumped the entire Centennial squad up, as well as the crowd. To prove the dunk was not a fluke by any means, Adams did it again on yet another fast break. “I was working on it in practice all the time, and I knew I could throw it down, and it was just whether or not it would be tonight. I had the fast break, so I just decided to throw it down,” an ecstatic Adams exclaimed when asked about the dunk. The dunk excited the team to the point that head coach Chad Hollwedel was jumping up and down and hi-fiving his players. The second quarter, overall, was high scoring and high fouling. The Scorpions came within four, but the Eagles pulled away. The score at the end of the half was 29-18.

CHS continued the rout even as Oakland Mills began to press. Emotions started to play a role in the game, as it became more and more physical. The score at the end of the third was 43-36. In the fourth quarter the CHS lead evaporated in an instant as the Scorpions came within three after an OMHS three pointer. Senior Greg Edmonds had a chance to break the tie but missed both free throw shots. OMHS also had an opportunity to win, but missed the shot, sending the game into overtime tied at 49. The scorpions scored first on a foul shot, but in the process, Edmonds fouled out. Centennial answered with a 2-pointer of their own, but Oakland Mills went on a run to go up 58-53. The Eagles came back and tied it back up again at 58. However, Marcos Ocadiz also fouled out, putting the Scorpions in a position to win the game. OMHS made both and with three seconds remaining, starting point guard Myelez Ocadiz had a chance to tie it up at the foul line. He made both his shots, causing the foundation of Oakland Mills to shake and rattle as the Centennial crowd erupted in thunderous celebration. “I’m an average free throw shooter but my team needed me to make them both, so I just put the ball through the hoop” a modest Ocadiz stated. Thus, the first overtime ended in 60-60 tie. The second overtime started with a bang as junior Mike Stefan made a layup, got fouled, and then made the extra foul shot. Both teams traded baskets and CHS gained a small lead that was quickly whittled down to a mere point. However, the man that made the basket to start the second overtime, Stefan, ended it with a basket to seal the deal. The final score: Centennial 71, Oakland Mills 68. Team manager Zach Lederer summed up the overtimes very well by saying that, “after the first overtime it was no longer fun; it was too heart wrenching and intense.”  Head Coach Chad Hollwedel had confidence in his team the entire time, exclaiming that “…I felt like we were never going to lose, I really felt that way. Even when we were down I thought that we were going to pull it out.”

Centennial’s next game is on Monday against bitter rival Mt. Hebron.

Posted on 2010-02-02