Natchitoches Central came back once, but couldn’t overcome turnovers to do it again Friday night in a season-opening non-district 42-20 loss to Sam Houston at Turpin Stadium.
The Broncos got four touchdown runs by quarterback Markeithon Simon and thrived on four Chiefs turnovers to push away from a 14-all tie early after halftime.
Kobe Jones threw a pair of touchdown passes to help NCHS rally from a 14-0 first-half deficit. He connected with K.J. Newton on a 20-yard scoring play before halftime, then hooked up with Kaden Kuykendoll on a 14-yarder to tie the game less than four minutes into the third quarter. Amsden Pasch was successful on the extra point kicks for the Chiefs.
But the visiting Broncos from Moss Bluff got on a roll, scoring three Simon TDs in about a nine-minute span from the middle of the third quarter until early in the fourth to take control, 35-14. Sam Houston got its final Simon score before Natchitoches Central could respond, getting a third Jones touchdown throw, 23 yards to Jace Prelow, late in the contest.
NCHS had to play without head coach Brad Laird, who was home with illness.
The Chiefs will return to Turpin Stadium this Friday night and host North DeSoto, which throttled Union Parish 52-7 in its opener last Friday.