TSSAA football championship: Central repeats in 5A, shows it's a 'high-profile program'

COOKEVILLE — Central had plenty of motivation to repeat as Class 5A football champions, especially when the Bobcats lost the last two games of the regular season, ending a 21-game winning streak.

On Friday the Bobcats cemented their status as a state powerhouse, beating Summit 30-7 in the BlueCross Bowl at Tennessee Tech.

"We were hungry from the get-go, there was nothing else we wanted more than to get back and show people that we were a high-profile program," said coach Bryson Rosser, who's led Central to the state title game three times in four years. "And that we deserve the respect that we should get." 

Central won 14-9 in last year's state title game, stopping Henry County from taking the lead late in the fourth quarter. 

On Friday night, Central (13-2) led 24-0 at halftime and from there the Bobcats' second state championship in school history was never in doubt. 

Central's playoff run started with a win over David Crockett, followed by a blowout against Gibbs, a comeback against South-Doyle, a shut out of West, and, finally, a domination of Summit (12-3) when the Bobcats forced four turnovers. 

Central's 30 points were its second-most of the playoffs. Dakota Fawver, who was the BlueCross Bowl MVP, passed for 216 yards and two touchdowns. 

Fawver pointed out he won two straight state championships just like Rosser, a quarterback who led Hackensack High School in New Jersey to two straight state championships as a junior and senior. 

"To do it together," Fawver said. "It's awesome." 

Rosser has turned Central into a 5A power, doing so in the six seasons he's been the coach. His first season ended in the first round of the playoffs, his second one ended in the second round of the playoffs. Now his last two have ended in Cookeville. 

Last year, his parents flew down from Hackensack and watched as their son won his first state championship as head coach. They were there Friday night, hugging him on the field as he smiled. 

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