Doyal D'angelo is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism Student assigned to cover Central High School for AZPreps365.com.

Star running back Khameron Athy broke Central's school record for most total touchdowns in a season with 28 Friday night as the Bobcats defeated North, 41-21, on Senior Night at Ray Laing field.

The record had been held by Trung Canidate, who was in attendance Friday night. 

Athy rushed 21 times for 144 yards, recorded 41 receiving yards and scored three touchdowns. 

Athy showed much respect to Canidate and honored him by saying that he felt lucky to be in his presence. 

“It’s just surreal,” Athy said. “Hopefully I can motivate the kids back home in Tennessee that look up to me and show them that sometimes you have to bet on yourself and believe in your craft.”

Central came out of the gate ready to go, and quarterback Cam Allen, who completed 13 of 20 passes for 233 yards and four touchdowns, had his accuracy on full display in the first quarter, throwing a rainbow lead pass to wide receiver Breon Ballard for the first touchdown of the night.

Allen came back on the next drive and threw an even more impressive lead pass over the head of defenders to Athy for a 25-yard touchdown with 1:51 left in the first quarter. 

North allowed 21 unanswered points to open the game and never enjoyed a lead, but it fought Central back near the end of the second quarter when quarterback Tommy Cruz made a tight-window throw to wide receiver AT Desamais down the middle of the field, leading to a 12-yard touchdown run that made it 21-7 at halftime. 

“We got up on them 21-0 and I feel like maybe we thought it would be easy going the rest of the way but North brings it,” Central coach Chandler Hovik said. 

After the Bobcats missed a few opportunities to move the ball downfield and settled for a field goal, North took the first offensive play of the second half and scored an 80-yard touchdown on a jet sweep reverse trick play to Rorion Jordan, cutting Central's lead to 24-14. 

Central assistant coach Matt Allen was surprised watching North score on this play, as the team had been preparing for it all week. 

“We knew the trick plays were coming and we thought we had a handle on it in practice, but credit to them, they are well coached,” Allen said.

After another Ismail Foz field goal, the Mustangs put together a perfect drive, as Cruz completed three straight passes, the last being an 18-yard sideline throw to Jordan for a touchdown with 2:23 left in the third quarter. 

Central had not been in a close game since week 4 when it lost to Mountain Pointe in a 28-21 nail-biter, but the Bobcats had an immediate response to the Mustangs when Allen unleashed a 58-yard touchdown pass to Ja’coby Gilmore on a two-play drive.

Then Allen threw the last touchdown of the night in what was also the definitive play of the game, rolling out to his right, juking and spinning back around a defender, and connecting with Athy in the middle of the field for a 16-yard touchdown to make it 41-21, which was the moment that Athy broke Canidate’s touchdown record.

“It was crazy, it was like some Madden stuff. It didn’t feel real,” Allen said. 

Now at 8-1, Central hopes its stellar play this year will help them get into the playoffs, which is still a question mark with one game left in the season because of their strength of schedule.

The Bobcats are currently sitting at 17th, one spot out of the tournament. 

“There’s no way we should be left out of the playoffs,” Hovik said. “There aren't 16 teams better than us.” 

Coach Hovik and Allen both expressed disdain towards the possibility of missing the playoffs and questioned the system, which heavily favors teams with strong schedules, allowing them a larger margin of error. 

“There's a realistic chance that we can go 9-1 and not make the playoffs,” Allen said. “I don't know in what world a 4-6 team is more deserving, regardless of who you play, than a 9-1 team.”

Central (8-1) looks to strengthen its playoff chances at Camelback (4-5) on Friday at 7 p.m. 

North (4-5) finishes its season at home against South Mountain (2-7) on Friday at 7 p.m.