FOOTBALL: Trinity takes advantage of turnovers, takes charge at turning points to finish on top at RTCA

Trinity traveled to Lyons Friday to finish off its regular season against Robert Toombs.

The visiting Crusaders were able to come up with a huge turnover late in the game and hit a big play on third and long to come away with a 21-14 win.

Trinity took the opening kickoff and picked up a few first downs before turning the ball over on downs. The home Crusaders took over their own 31 and went right to work. Jayden Toole would cap a six-play, 61-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown run to put Robert Toombs up 7-0.

Neither team could find much offense the rest of the half.  Both defenses would stand tall and force three punts in a row each. On the third RTCA punt, Wade Register and Carson Shepherd came up with a block, and Cruz Giles the recovery for a touchdown, to knot the score at 7-7. 

The game remained tied headed to intermission. 

Robert Toombs took the ball to start the second half and returned the favor with a turnover on downs on a fourth and short. The visiting Crusaders would take advantage of the excellent field position, needing just four plays to cover the 38 yards. Wade Register would punch it in from six yards out to give Trinity the lead at 14-7 early in the third quarter.

The teams traded multiple more punts again before Robert Toombs would put another scoring drive together, going 69 yards on seven plays. Drew Edwards scored from five yards to tie the game again at 14-14 with just under five minutes remaining in the contest.

Disaster would strike on the ensuing Trinity possession. On third down, RTCA picked off a Ben Castro-Poveda pass at the 22 yard line to put the home team in prime position to take the lead.

But the Trinity defense came up huge, forcing its third turnover of the contest to get the ball back at the 25 with just over three minutes left.

Trinity picked up a pair of first downs to get out past midfield, but was backed up by a negative play and a pair of penalties. On third and 21, Castro-Poveda connected with Asher Evans on a 59-yard catch and run to get Trinity down to the 2, with around 30 seconds left. Register scored on the next play to give the visiting Crusaders the lead, and the 21-14 win.

Castro-Poveda was 10-of-19 for 111 yards and added 27 yards on four carries. Register had 76 yards on 17 carries to go over the 1,000 yard mark  for the season. He is the first Crusader to rush for quadruple digits since the 2014 season.

Toole led RTCA with 83 yards on 11 attempts.

The win ensures Trinity (6-4) its first winning season since 2018. The Crusaders will now await playoff seeding with a bye this Friday. Their first-round game will be Nov. 8.