MIAMI, Fla. — Columbus made a statement in its opening pool-play game Friday night, rolling to a convincing 40-3 victory over Miami Central to move one step closer to advancing to the Open Division semifinals. The Explorers set the tone early and never allowed the Rockets to find much offensive rhythm, turning what began as a competitive contest into a one-sided affair.
Columbus wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. After a promising start to its opening possession, the Explorers faced a third-and-long situation before capitalizing on a blown coverage. The Columbus quarterback found a wide-open receiver over the middle, and the play went for an 82-yard touchdown to make it 7-0. Central responded with a promising drive into Columbus territory but had to settle for a 42-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.
The Explorers gradually took control in the second quarter, adding a field goal to extend their advantage to 10-3 before putting together another scoring drive late in the half that gave them a 17-3 lead headed to the lockers…