Burlington Central drops to 0-4

For Burlington Central, winning the Big Northern East didn't just become a goal.

It became the only goal.

After the Rockets fell 20-7 to visiting Oregon Friday night, Central (0-4) now finds itself needing to sweep through conference play in order to qualify for the playoffs this season.

"This is something we addressed after the game," Rockets' coach Aaron Wichman said. "I told them that when we look at the standings tomorrow everyone is 0-0. We haven't given ourselves much room for error."

What the Rockets id do - in Wichman's estimation - was put together their best game of the season thus far in Friday night's loss.

Highlighted by 23 tackles from senior linebacker Frank Wleklinski, Central contended right until the game's final 30 seconds.

Quarterback Tim Maroder (21 carries, 108 yards) brought Central to within 13-6 with a 1-yard touchdown run with 28 seconds remaining. Tim Vincent's extra point put the Rockets in a position to win if they had recovered Vincent's onside kick.

Instead, Oregon's Carson Andrew nabbed the ball from the air, cut to the opposite side of all 11 Central defenders and ran back a 54-yard touchdown with 17 seconds remaining. Jeff Yount's extra point put Oregon (4-0) ahead 20-7.

"We were playing hard," Wleklinski said. "We were hitting hard. We were doing everything right. Sometimes it doesn't work out."

Central limited Oregon to just 202 yards on the ground. The only scores came from touchdown runs from Ethan Gale (45 yards) and Nick McKeown (3 yards) in the second quarter. Gale's 45-yard run was one of just 3 runs of 10-plus yards the Rockets gave up all night.

Wleklinski had them on lock-down after that.

"The thing that I am most impressed with is how he studies the game," Wichman said. "He knows as well as the coaches what play is coming."

On its first 2 possessions, Central was shut out after reaching the red zone. Maroder (9-for-20, 108 yards) was picked off by Gale after Central had first-and-10 at the 15 to end the opening drive. The second drive fell dead after Maroder went 1-of-4 for 1 yard on a first-and-10 from the 18.

Closing out drives is something the Rockets will need to do in order to sweep through the BNC East.

"It's do or die," Wleklinski said. "If we're going to make the playoffs now, we have to win."