By BRIAN SHOEMAKER

Herald-Whig Sports Writer

CAMP POINT -- Pittsfield quarterback Jordan Cawthon didn't need a coming out party to showcase his passing abilities.

He got one anyway.

Cawthon passed for 185 yards and two touchdowns, completing 7 of 9 attempts, and and added a rushing score as Pittsfield remained undefeated with a 52-21 victory over Central-Southeastern in West Prairie Trail Southwest contest.

"We just came out and executed our game plan," said Cawthon, who also rushed for 64 yards on five carries. "Our line did a great job of giving me time to throw and we made the right reads and got the ball to the right people."

Cawthon's outburst came at a time when the Saukee running game needed it most.

Central's stingy defense found a way to neutralize the Pittsfield running attack, stopping Devon Johnson on an early fourth-and-goal situation and forcing a fumble on Pittsfield's next possession.

The Panthers converted it into a 15-yard run from Jake Klingele as the C-SE led 14-8 after the first quarter.

With seven Panthers in the box, Cawthon answered with a 69-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Harris, in turn reopening the running lanes for his fullback counterparts. Michael Johnson took advantage, scampering 55 yards to set up a 5-yard touchdown run for Cawthon.

Cawthon repaid the favor, delivering a 37-yard touchdown pass to Johnson as Pittsfield scored 30 second-quarter points.

"It was just the big plays," C-SE coach Bill Reed said. "It just seemed like one big play, then another and then our kids had a letdown. It's just one of those things where we struggle with adversity and we've got to get better with that."

While adversity mounted for Central in the second quarter, Cawthon escaped it.

The junior quarterback scrambled from Central's Mike Hall, spinning away from the linebacker and throwing to Kyle Harris for a 13-yard gain at midfield. A personal foul penalty combined with a face mask penalty on the Panthers pushed the Saukees at the C-SE 20-yard line.

Three plays later, Devon Johnson scored on a 5-yard run and a two-point conversion from Elijah Hoover boosted Pittsfield to a 24-point halftime lead.

"When Jordan (Cawthon) throws the way he did and when we catch the ball the way we did, we've got some fast guys out there," Pittsfield coach Don Bigley said. "We need to have that balance to keep teams from putting all of those guys in the box."

Devon Johnson finished with 80 yards on 14 carries, while Hoover added 44 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown. Klingele led Central's ground attack with 49 yards on 13 carries.

The Saukees' victory sets up a Week 7 matchup of undefeated teams as Illini West, ranked No. 2 in Class 3A, comes to Glenn C. Smith Field.

"Everyone is excited and the community is excited," Cawthon said. "I think it's going to be a battle. We've just got to do what do and try to get a win."

-- sports@whig.com/221-3365