Trojans' second-quarter rally tops BlueHawks

The Troy Trojans (2-2, 3-4) scored 22 points in the final 2:19 of the first half  Friday to shift a tight game into a 42-12 blowout on Senior Night against Thompson Falls (1-2, 2-6).

Troy started the game blazing. On the first play from scrimmage, Sean Opland ran a sweep right, steamrolled a defender as he approached the edge, and ran 56 yards. Luke Haggerty scored on the next play on a two-yard dive.

After a quick stop, Troy began to drive before stalling at midfield. Facing fourth-and-eight, Head Coach Jim Dasios called a fake punt. A direct snap to upback, and starting quarterback, Gabe Hickman surprised the BlueHawk special teams. Running left with Opland behind him, Hickman enticed a defender before pitching the ball to Opland, who gained 22 yards. The gamble paid quick dividends when Haggerty scored the following play, this time on a 23-yard sweep right behind a jarring seal block by Opland.

Thompson Falls responded defensively when five-foot-five, 125-pound, sophomore cornerback Tanner Laws made a leaping interception down the right sideline. The BlueHawk offense came to life the following drive, going 81 yards in nine plays to make the score 14-6 late in the first quarter. Thompson Falls’ quarterback Greg Wadsworth connected four times with six-foot-four sophomore receiver Travis Hoisington on the drive for 42 yards. It began to appear that Wadsworth could simply toss the ball anywhere near Hoisington’s towering head and the Trojans would be in trouble.

The second quarter was a series of stalled possessions before Troy began a late drive at its own 48-yard line. On first down, Hickman bounced in the pocket before scrambling down the left sideline for 40 yards, plowing through two defenders in the process. Momentum appeared halted, however, when a pair of penalties pitted the Trojans back to the 35-yard line on a first-and-33. Troy responded with a play-action pass to Michael Miller. Cutting across the field from right to left, Miller made the grab, eluded a defender, and sprinted down the left sideline. His score made it 20-6 with 2:19 in the half.

Troy struck again when Haggerty intercepted an underthrown fade to Hoisington and followed a menacing Opland and Hickman escort down the sideline for the score. The Trojan defense grabbed another interception six plays later when Gage Tallmadge undercut an out from his hook zone. Facing green pastures on the return, Tallmadge was tripped on a shoestring tackle by Wadsworth.

With 3.6 seconds to go in the half and little to lose, Hickman heaved a Hail Mary to Miller. The halftime siren sounding as the ball arced down, Miller bobbled, juggled and finally secured the pass in the end zone for the touchdown. Miller’s catch on the two-point conversion brought the score to 36-6 at half.  

The second half proved more of the same. Tallmadge intercepted another ball in the third quarter, this time getting tackled on an outstanding hustle play by freshman McKenzie Holt. The Trojans capitalized on the takeaway three plays later when Miller caught his third touchdown of the game, this time on a 22-yard strike, which brought the score to 42-6 and initiated a running clock.

BlueHawk running back Nate Norris scored on a 13-yard sweep right late in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.

“We expected to win,” Dasios said. “Thompson Falls has two wins, but they beat Plains twice.” Troy beat Plains 63-16 three weeks ago.

“We adjusted to defending spots on the field,” Assistant Coach Dallas Carr said about slowing the BlueHawk passing attack. “(Hoisington) had us worried for a bit, but the defense did a great job again.”

The Trojans complete their season at St. Ignatius at 7 p.m. Friday.