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Momentum hadn't been on the side of the Central High School football team. The Falcons had not won since Oct. 3, and had been held out of the end zone for two consecutive games.

But the ball bounced the Falcons' way during an 8-0 win Saturday afternoon against the Surrattsville Hornets during Central's 50th homecoming game.

The Falcons recovered an onside kick, had a punt bounce off a Surrattsville player's helmet for a safety and iced the game after a roughing the kicker penalty gave them the ball with a minute to go.

After a scoreless first half, Surrattsville went three-and-out on its first two second-half possessions, and their offense sat on the sidelines the rest of the way. The Falcons ran 34 second-half plays to Surrattsville's six.

"We needed this. We're not a high-scoring team," said Central coach Stan Hall. "I don't know if it was homecoming, but if it was then we need to make every game homecoming."

Carlton Smith's 7-yard touchdown pass to James Hall midway through the third quarter proved to be the difference in a half dominated by Central (3-6 overall, 3-5 in the County 3A/2A/1A League).

Smith was so excited after the team's first touchdown in three weeks that he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for spiking the ball in the end zone. The Hornets' two-point conversion pass attempt was unsuccessful after the 15-yard penalty, but Smith said he knew his touchdown would be enough for the win.

"That was the game, if we got the touchdown then we were going to get the ball back and win," he said.

They quickly did, recovering an onside kick on the next play, when the line-drive kick bounced off the chest of a Surrattsville player. After the Central drive stalled, the punt sealed the deal for the Falcons, when the high kick caught a Surrattsville blocker off guard and deflected off his helmet into the end zone. Surrattsville's Joseph Rollins recovered it, but was tackled for the safety.

The Hornets had one more opportunity to get the ball back, with a minute left, but were flagged for roughing the kicker on Central's final punt.

Neither team took advantage of its offensive opportunities in the first half. Surrattsville, (2-7 overall, 2-6 league) which had won its previous two games, drove the length of the field, but a penalty forced the Hornets to attempt a 29-yard field goal that hit the left goal post. They got to the Central 25 later in the half, but turned the ball over on downs. Central got into Surrattsville territory on its first three drives, but turned it over twice.

"We had opportunities in the first half to put this game away and we didn't. And then we came back and we made some bad plays," said Surrattsville coach Robert Harris. "We really weren't as focused as we should have been. The last two weeks we've been the more focused team, and today it was like we came out a little flat."

Joseph Rollins led the Hornets with 11 carries for 48 yards. Smith completed 3 of 6 passes for 54 yards a touchdown and a interception and added 48 yards rushing on 19 carries. Sophomore Damarkus Thomas led all players with 60 yards rushing on 13 carries.

Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly stated the number of consecutive games without a touchtown Central had played.