FOOTBALL: Trinity struggles at second-ranked SGA

It was a long road trip, and an even longer night, for the Trinity Crusaders Friday as they made the trek to Damascus for a region matchup against once-beaten Southwest Georgia Academy.  

The Warriors scored on big plays on their first three possessions, and ran away from the Crusaders for the 40-5 win.

Southwest Georgia took the opening kickoff and wasted no time getting points. Following the touchback, Trinity was called for back-to-back encroachment penalties.  

The Warriors returned the favor with a holding call to put the ball back at the 20 again, but Sawyer Franklin took a handoff on the first down of the game that actually counted and rushed 80 yards to paydirt.  

The two-point conversion was also good to make the score 8-0 just 30 seconds into the the contest. 

Trinity was able to pick up one first down on its opening drive, but was forced to punt. The kick resulted in a touchback, and SGA took over at the 20 again. 

The Warriors would need just two plays, this time, to extend the lead. Colt Williams found Grayson Cox for a 72-yard catch-and-run, and the two-point conversion made it 16-0.

The Crusaders went three and out on their next possession, and the Warriors took over at the 32 after the punt.  

Thorne Johnson took a handoff on the first play of the drive and raced 68 yards for another score. The two-point try was again good, and it was 24-0.

The two teams exchanged punts on their next possessions before Trinity was finally able to put a decent drive together.

The Crusaders strung together a few first downs, but the drive eventually stalled out. Wade Register booted a 32-yard field goal on the drive’s 10th play to finally get the Trinity on the board at 24-3.

But the momentum was short-lived, as the Warriors went right back to work on another 80-yard scoring drive. Williams would run it in himself from 13 yards out and carried for the two-point conversion to make it 32-3.

Trinity put together another solid drive late in the half, but Register was unable to convert a long field goal attempt, and the score remained the same. 

The Crusaders couldn’t find any offensive footing in the second half. Their four remaining possessions totaled 18 plays for a total of 25 yards, and resulted in three punts and one turnover on downs. 

Following the first punt of the half, SGA’s Williams scored on a 52-yard run to cap a six-play, 84-yard drive. The two-point try was good again, and the Warriors’ lead was 40-3.

The Crusaders’ defense was able to block a punt that went through the end zone for a safely to make it 40-5 late in the third, and that score would hold as the final.

Trinity was held to under 125 yards on the night as it struggled to find an offensive rhythm and hit big plays.  

Ben Castro-Poveda had a career high in attempts with 31 and completions with 13, but managed just 72 yards. Register was also bottled up, being held to 48 yards on 15 carries.

Williams was 2-for-2 passing for 79 yards and a score, and rushed for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead SGA. Franklin had 162 yards on just six carries.

Trinity (5-4 overall, 0-2 region) will finish up the regular season next Friday in Lyons against Robert Toombs.