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The Central Falcons beat the Bessemer City Purple Tigers 27-20 on senior night.

This is Central's second win of the season after beating the Paul Bryant Stampede earlier in the year.

Bessemer City started the game with the ball, but only picked up one first down and was forced to punt.

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Central's first drive of the game started off strong with a 15-yard pass from quarterback David McNeil to sophomore wide receiver Christian Bishop. The Falcons' opening drive ended with running back Marquis Thomas fumbling the ball on the Tigers' 34.

Bessemer City quarterback Christopher Whittsett Jr. led the Purple Tigers on a 12-play, 70-yard drive. Whitsett ended the drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Bessemer City took the early 6-0 lead after a missed extra point.

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McNeil led the Falcons' offense 73 yards in 12 plays on Central's next possession. This drive was highlighted by a 16-yard pass from McNeil to wide receiver  Dominic Myles. Central capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run by running back Shunkeith Turner to put the Falcons up 7-6.

The Falcons' defense came on the field and forced the Bessemer City offense to punt the ball back to the Central offense. Starting on its own 15-yard line, McNeil led an 85-yard drive that was mostly dominated by McNeil runs and Bishop receptions. On the final play of the half, McNeil found Bishop for an 11-yard touchdown, which put the Falcons up 14-6 going into the break.

The third quarter though was a defensive battle until the final two minutes. After returning a Bessemer City punt 45 yards, the Falcons were in a prime position to extend their lead.

McNeil found Bishop for his second touchdown of the night with less than two minutes left in the quarter. This time a six-yard lazar put the Falcons up 20-6.

The Purple Tigers ended the quarter on a fumble. Central recovered the ball and Turner rushed in his second touchdown of the night, putting the Falcons up 27-6.

Bessemer City responded to the Turner touchdown by driving 63 yards down the field for a touchdown. On 2nd-and-13, Whitsett broke a sack, scrambled around the pocket, and found Julius Moultry for a 13-yard touchdown.

The Bessemer City defense forced the red-hot Falcons offense to punt and gave the ball back to its offense. Starting on its own 17-yard line, Whitsett led another long 83-yard drive, which was capped off by Whitsett running into the end zone.

The Falcons offense tried to run the clock out but was unable to. Because of the Purple Tigers' defense coming up clutch, the Bessemer City offense had two minutes to tie or even win its first game.

On fourth-and-long with one minute left in the game, Whittsett's pass was intercepted by the Falcon's defense to seal the Central win.

"Anytime you can win a football game, it's definitely a good thing," said Central head coach Rodney Bivens Jr. "What I am most happy with is the fight of our team. Things in the second half did not go our way but our team kept fighting and we came out with the victory."

Central now improves to 2-7 on the year. Next week, the Falcons travel to Hueytown.

Bessemer City is still looking for its first win on the season. Next week, the Purple Tigers host the Paul Bryant Stampede.

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