ROSWELL - Campbell head coach T.K. Dodd has told his young team that building a winner in Smyrna will take some time. Though the coach saw some things he liked on Friday night, the Spartans' inexperience showed in a 36-0 opening season loss at Centennial.

"There were some good things that we did defensively. We played well enough to certainly be in the game offensively," said Dodd, Campbell's second-year coach. "We're just so young. And not having very much experience - that's not an excuse - but it is what it is.

"We will get better. And it's not time to panic or anything yet. We are headed in the right direction."

Far too often, however, the Spartans headed in the wrong direction in the first half against the Knights, a state playoff team from last year. Campbell was held to minus-7 yards rushing in the opening 24 minutes, while Centennial build a 23-0 halftime advantage.

The Knights stopped Campbell on the initial drive of the game and then took nine plays to score the night's first touchdown. Senior Sean Gilrain capped a 47-yard drive with a 10-yard option keeper to the right.

The teams exchanged possessions before Campbell went backward on consecutive plays inside its own 10 to fall behind 9-0.

Running back Qadeem Salaam picked up a low snap from center and ran for his life in the Knights' endzone. He was eventually swarmed under on the left side for a safety.

Centennial put points on the board on the very next play, as the Spartans were forced to kick it back to the Knights and then watched Anthony Bradley race 60 yards for a touchdown return.

Campbell recorded its initial first down of the game on the team's next drive, but stalled out and was forced to punt it back to Centennial.

Less than 5 minutes before halftime, a Lonnie Hawkins interception off a deflection set up the Knights at Campbell's 30. Three plays later Carlson Carty - who torched Campbell for 214 yards rushing last season - broke a tackle and ran 31 yards to make the count 23-0.

Carty led all ball carriers with an even 100 yards on Friday.

"The thing with the triple option is, if you miss your assignment, it just goes," said Dodd. "We missed the dive, or we missed the quarterback, and they made us pay."

Centennial added a pair of third quarter scores within 1:09 of one another for the final margin.

Running back Zietrick Smith hit paydirt from 24 yards out and Gilrain connected with Bradley on an 18-yard pass after Salaam was hit and fumbled inside Campbell's 20.

Salaam was shaken up and left the game with an apparent knee injury. Dodd said trainers believed it to be a strain.

Spartan quarterback Caleb Edmonds looked good at times in Campbell's new West Coast passing attack. He hit 13-of-25 for 90 yards, but threw a pair of interceptions.

Junior wideout Tendai Nhenkairo hauled in seven of those balls for 74 yards, but Centennial's 251 yards rushing and Campbell's youth told the tale.

"We didn't execute, and that's something we gotta look at as coaches and figure out where the breakdowns were," said Dodd.