Central Football Peaks At Right Moment Entering Week 2 Of Playoffs

Central picked up its first playoff win since 1997 last Friday, beating Locust Grove by 56.

The Braves now face the tall task of knocking off top-ranked Lincoln Christian, but Central is staying confident as the Underdog.

Central is peaking before the showdown against the unbeaten Bulldogs.

The Braves scored just 34 points in their first four games but have averaged 49 in their last six and picked up three wins.

"It ain't going to be easy,” Central running back and linebacker Joel Hamilton said. “They think it’s going to be easy, it ain't going to be easy. We working, we ready though."

This is Central's first trip to the second round of the playoffs in 23 years and head coach Kip Shaw's message is simple.

"Play as hard as you can, all you can control is your effort, you let winning take care of itself,” Shaw said. “Naturally we want to keep playing, that’s the goal of this thing. Hopefully we’re starting to come together and gel together and we continue with that."

Hamilton has rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season and Friday's match up with Lincoln Christian is more than a playoff game: he's hoping to have a highlight reel night to earn his first division one offer.

"I coached the division one level when I was at Marshall University and Southeast Missouri State and I encourage these kids to understand if I was to go and take a division one job, they would have a full scholarship with me."

"I know a lot of scouts are going to be out there they are 10-0, they are number one,” Hamilton said. “My mindset right now, I'm feeling good, I'm ready for them.”