Burkeybile’s five touchdown game sends Trenton to second straight GRC win, 40-21

Trenton senior fullback Austin Burkeybile dominated Friday night’s Bulldog game at Princeton from start to finish, rushing for five touchdowns (three in the final quarter) and an unofficial total of 368 yards, in a 40-21 road win for THS, broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7 and KGOZ-TV.

Burkeybile opened the scoring with 3:56 remaining in the first quarter.  Tom Johnson had the play-by-play call:

Mason Owen’s extra point gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead after the first quarter of play.  In the second quarter, Princeton fought Trenton hard, but the inability to move the football against Trenton’s stout defense eventually wore down the host Tigers, as Burkeybile scored on a 30 yard jaunt with 6:50 to go in the half.  The extra point missed, leaving the score 13-0.  With 20 seconds to go in the half, Trenton extended the advantage to three scores, as junior quarterback Lathan Croy scored on a 15 yard keeper, and added the two-point conversion, leaving the Bulldogs up at the half, 21-0.

Princeton played its best football of the night in the third quarter, as a goal-line interception and return, combined with a Trenton late hit, gave the Tigers the ball near midfield midway through the quarter.  Just a few plays later, running back Calvin Berwanger scored on a three-yard run, with the extra point making the score 21-7.

The Tigers threatened, but were never able to get a second score to cut into Trenton’s lead.  After a goal-line interception gave the Bulldogs the football early in the fourth quarter, Burkeybile struck again, as heavy rains began to pound Eddie Allen Field:

The extra point missed, leaving Trenton up 27-7.  Burkeybile added to his night four minutes later, scoring on a 7 yard plunge (7:20 to go in the game), leaving the score at 33-7.  More yardage for Burkeybile, and more points for THS, went on the board 85 seconds later:

Down 40-7, Princeton was able to cut into Trenton’s lead late, mainly against the Bulldog JV.  A 23 yard run by junior quarterback Andrew Smith (and successful two-point conversion by Berwanger) left Trenton up 40-15.  A Bulldog fumble, recovered by Princeton, gave the full back to the Tigers, with Smith hitting Cash Hartley for a 40 yard strike with 2:25 to go, leaving the final score 40-21.

Trenton, at 2-2 overall and 2-0 in the Grand River Conference, returns home to take on winless Milan on Friday night in the THS homecoming game. Football Frenzy hits the air at 5:30, with the kick from C.F. Russell Stadium at 7:00 on Hot Country Z 101.7 and KGOZ-TV.  Princeton, 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the GRC, will host Putnam County in the Tigers homecoming game on Friday night.  That game will be broadcast on KTTN FM 92.3, with Football Frenzy at 6 o’clock, and the kick at 7.  Trenton, Polo, and Maysville are tied for first place in the GRC, all with records of 2-0.  Maysville hosts Polo on Friday in a mid-season swing game at the top of the GRC standings.  Trenton will play at Polo in Week #7 and host Maysville for Week #8. Polo rallied to beat Gallatin while Maysville took down South Harrison last Friday.