Trenton, on Friday night, needed a road win at Gallatin to sweep the Grand River Conference in 2016, and win the school’s first ever GRC outright. However, just one week removed from a dominant 42-12 win over Maysville to clinch a share of the conference title, Trenton settled for that share, losing to the host Bulldogs 35-21 while the Wolverines downed visiting Milan, 42-21.
Trenton’s run defense struggled against the Gallatin rushing attack led by Wyatt Bird, Cole McBee, and Chad Walker, as that Bulldog threesome combined for all five touchdowns (three by McBee) in the victory that clinched third place in the conference for the quickly improving Gallatin squad, now 6-3 on the season, and 5-2 in the GRC.
Trenton, 7-3 overall and 6-1 in the GRC, gave up a 40 yard return off of a fumbled punt, with Bird returning the football for the game’s opening score at the 4:38 mark of the opening quarter. Down 7-0, Trenton’s offense responded with a drive that culminated with a 2 yard scoring plunge by Carson Radcliff. A high snap on the extra point resulted in a Gallatin block, leaving the GHS Bulldogs up 7-6 after one quarter.
The second quarter was particularly damaging for Trenton, with McBee scored on a pair of 1 yard runs (10:58 and 4:12) to give the home team a 21-6 halftime lead.
Trenton, down two scores, picked up needed points midway through the third quarter, as Lathan Croy scored on a 1 yard quarterback sneak. The two-point conversion run by Austin Burkeybile cut Gallatin’s lead to 21-14. The Trenton defense forced a three-and-out, giving the ball back to the THS offense, but the “Black and Gold” failed to capitalize on the opportunity for a tie, forced to kick the ball back to Gallatin. However, Trenton did well on that special teams job, pinning Gallatin at the 11.
The next play was the pivotal play of the contest, as Chad Walker took a jet sweep to the south sideline, burst through a hole between the Trenton linebacker and cornerback, and sprinted 89 yards to re-establish the two-touchdown lead to Gallatin.
Trenton, in the fourth quarter, was able to cut the lead back to 28-21, as Croy hit senior tight end Connor Cotton for a 29 yard score, but low on timeouts, and with only 4:09 left in the fourth quarter, Trenton had to onside kick and failed. A 36 yard scoring run by McBee slammed the door on the opportunity for a 7 game winning streak and outright GRC title for THS.
The scoreboard for Week #9 (Friday, October 14, 2016):
Polo 80, Princeton 73 (on KTTN FM 92.3)
Putnam County 40, South Harrison 0
Maysville 42, Milan 21 (Maysville earns GRC co-title with Trenton)
Lawson 42, West Platte 0
Lathrop 58, Mid-Buchanan 32
Penney 56, East Harrison 12
Plattsburg 44, North Platte 14
Chillicothe 36, Benton 6
Maryville 52, Lafayette 20
LeBlond 20, Savannah 6
Smithville 42, Cameron 0
Marceline 68, Harrisburg 0
Knox County 24, Fayette 14
Salisbury 34, Schuyler County 8
Westran 34, Paris 6
South Shelby 33, Scotland County 7
Richmond 46, Lexington 21
Higginsville 27, Carrollton 7
Holden 47, Knob Noster 20
Brookfield 28, Clark County 0
Monroe City 22, Palmyra 16
Macon 24, Centralia 23
Highland 43, Louisiana 12
Albany 72, Pattonsburg 24
Worth County 44, Stanberry 42
North Andrew 56, Braymer 6
King City 56, St. Joseph Christian 6
Southwest Livingston 26, Norborne 22
Rock Port 28, Mound City 6
East Atchison 68, Platte Valley 26
Stewartsville 60, DeKalb 0
