Trojans, off to a slow start, bring traveling grid game to their home turf

Troy football faced another difficult opponent on the road, and the short-handed Trojans were beat again, this time falling to Ronan 36-14.

After Loyola ran up the score on Troy last week, 60-0, the two touchdowns the Trojans put on the board were a good step toward improvement.

“We played a lot better offensively,” said head coach Jim Dasios. “We were able to move the ball.”

The Chiefs scored twice early after Trojan miscues gave Ronan excellent field position. The first was a blocked punt only 10 yards from the end zone; the second was a fumble in Trojan territory.

Ronan jumped on both and scored again in the second quarter, leading 22-0 before Troy could stop the bleeding. 

Troy, still dealing with injuries, had to improvise.

“We had some starters out this week,” Dasios said. “So, we had some young kids starting for us.”

Page Scott, a sophomore, got his first start for the Trojans, and helped the team put the first points on the board.

Zach Dolezal ran it in from 12 yards out, and Sean Opland caught the two-point conversion from quarterback Gabe Hickman.

Opland scored the other points for Troy on a six-yard carry in the fourth quarter.

Troy will face the very-hot Florence-Carlton Falcons at 7 p.m., Friday at home. The Trojans suffered the worst defeat of their season against Florence-Carlton last year.

The Falcons were able to score seemingly at will, and the Trojans endured a long bus ride home after the 59-14 loss.