Castle Rushes for Three Scores; Blue Devils Surge Past Wolfpack, 45-33
The Blue Devils leaned on the legs of senior running back Marcus Castle Friday night, and he delivered in spectacular fashion. Castle rushed for three touchdowns and more than 180 yards, powering Central Valley to a thrilling 45-33 victory over the visiting Wolfpack.
From the opening series, the Blue Devils established their ground game. Castle broke free on a 42-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter, setting the tone for an explosive offensive night. Quarterback James Whitfield complemented the rushing attack with two touchdown passes, including a 55-yard strike to wideout Jalen Morris that brought the home crowd to its feet.
The Wolfpack, however, refused to go quietly. Quarterback Ryan Ellis connected with his favorite target, senior receiver Devin Holt, for three touchdowns, keeping the game within reach. A 27-27 tie early in the third quarter had the momentum hanging in the balance.
That’s when Castle once again took control. On consecutive drives, he bulldozed through the Wolfpack defense for scoring runs of 18 and 12 yards, giving the Blue Devils breathing room. The offensive line dominated the trenches, wearing down defenders as the game wore on.
Defensively, linebacker Trent Hayes provided a crucial spark for Central Valley. His fourth-quarter interception set up Whitfield’s second touchdown pass and effectively sealed the outcome. Though the Wolfpack added a late score, the Blue Devils’ balance proved too much.
With the victory, Central Valley improved to 4-1 on the season and solidified its standing near the top of the conference. Coach Darren Mitchell praised his team’s resilience afterward.
“Every time they pushed, we pushed back harder,” Mitchell said. “Marcus was unstoppable tonight, but it was a team effort all the way.”
The Blue Devils will face Eastwood next week, while the Wolfpack looks to rebound against Lakeside.
