By taking control in the second half, Burlington Central’s offense broke open a close contest against Fox Valley Conference rival Jacobs. The Rockets turned a razor slim one-point advantage at halftime into a 21-12 win in Algonquin Friday night.

“We didn’t finish the basics in the first half. In the second half we came out and we finished blocks, tackles and drives. We ran the ball well,” said Rockets coach Brian Iossi. “Our defense came out in the second half and shut them down. We stopped them in key points.”

Burlington Central quarterback Landon Arnold literally ran the offense during the last two quarters, grounding out 124 of his 157 rushing yards in the second half. Nineteen of his 22 carries were during the last two quarters.

“Landon [carried] the ball in the second half and our offensive line played well,” Iossi said.

A Golden Eagles’ highlight for the their homecoming game,was senior running back Caden DuMelle setting the school’s career rushing record.

During the Rockets’ opening third-quarter drive, Arnold carried the ball for eight of the nine plays, ending the possession with a 2-yard sweep to right to score Central’s second touchdown of the evening.

The Rockets (3-0, 3-0) extended their margin to 21-7 on their third drive of the half. This time the senior QB mixed in passing plays, but the possession ended in Arnold’s hands on a 2-yard plunge with 7:47 left in the game. On the night Arnold completed 10 of 20 passes for 88 yards. Christian Livingston caught 3 passes for 44 yards.

DuMelle broke Jacobs’ (1-2, 1-2) all-time rushing record of 2,581 yards set by Josh Walker in 2014, doing it on an 11-yard run during the Golden Eagles’ last drive of the game.

DuMelle (73 yards on 17 carries) ended the drive on a 12-yard TD run with 5:16 left in the game.

Central scored on its first possession of the night. Mixing their ground and air games, the Rockets marched 41 yards in 11 plays, capping the drive with a 4-yard TD pass five seconds into the second quarter. Arnold connected with Trevor Rapp.

With only 1:07 left in the half, Jacobs’ Austin Stennett’s 21-yard toss over the middle, only his third pass of game, found Carson Goehring just inside the goal line. The PAT failed.

Jordan Hudson thwarted the Rockets’ effort to score a quick touchdown before time expired at the end of the half. With nine seconds left until halftime, Hudson picked off an Arnold throw.