FOOTBALL: Inordinate injury toll, SGA’s run game too much for Trinity in return to Cleve

Trinity returned home Friday to face off against last season’s state runner-up Southwest Georgia Academy in its second region game, but with seven players inactive due to injuries that have riddled the Crusaders over the last two games. 

The shorthanded Crusaders were no match for the high-powered Warrior attack, and was shut out 48-0.

SGA had 363 rushing yards and averaged over eight yards per carry, while Trinity managed only 57, and suffered three turnovers. 

The Crusaders took the opening kickoff and ran just two plays before fumbling it away.  Southwest Georgia would need just three to cover 35 yards for a score.  

Colt Williams took it in from 11 yards out, and the two-point conversion would make it 8-0.

Following a Trinity punt, the Warriors marched 78 yards on eight plays to score again, this time with Williams from 28 yards out, and another two-point conversion would make it 16-0 early in the second quarter. 

Another Crusader punt pinned the Warriors back at their own 16, but they would need just four plays to score this time as Ghanum Heard broke free for a 64-yard TD to make it 24-0.

Things went from bad to worse as Trinity fumbled the ensuing kickoff to set the Warriors up with a short field. Thad Beckley would punch it in from two yards out, and another conversion made it 32-0.

The Crusaders would put their best drive of the night together just before the half, but turned it over on downs with under a minute remaining.

The Warriors took the second half kickoff and got 80 yards on 11 plays to extend the lead even further. Brayden Hughes would get in from five yards, and yet another two-point conversion took the lead to 40. 

Trinity was forced to punt yet again on its next possession, but the defense would finally get a stop, forcing a turnover on downs after a 13-play drive.

Again, the momentum was as short lived. 

They would fumble the ball right back after one play. Matthew Goodwin then scored a 14-yard touchdown a few plays later for the final points of the night less than two minutes remaining in the contest.

Heard led the Warriors with 111 yards on just seven attempts, and Williams added 93 on six.  

Andrew Helton and Cody Register had 15 tackles each to lead the Crusader defense and Alec Preston added 11. 

Tripp Mascaro and Tayt Evans had six solo tackles each on defense and 25 yards each rushing to account for almost all of the Trinity offense.

The Crusaders, now 5-4, will finish their regular season next Friday as they host Robert Toombs for senior night.