Early domination sends unbeaten Mules into district semifinals, ending Trenton’s season

The Trenton Bulldogs came into Lathrop High School on Friday night hopeful of keeping their Class 2, District 8 quarterfinal game with the host Lathrop Mules competitive, while having first-hand knowledge of the explosiveness that the two-time KCI Conference champions possess.  Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Lathrop blitzed the 7th seeds with a first quarter avalanche, rolling to a 62-13 win that sends the Mules into the district semifinals, and ending Trenton’s season at 2-8.  Friday night’s game was broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7.

Lathrop opened the scoring just 2 minutes and 24 seconds into the game, returning a punt 48 yards for a touchdown.  Just 23 seconds later, a deflected pass was caught in the end zone for a Mules touchdown, with the home team taking a shot after recovering a fumble by the Bulldogs one play earlier.  After another 3 and out by the Trenton offense, Lathrop blocked a punt and returned it 28 yards for a score, giving the home team a lightning fast 21-0 lead.

By the end of the quarter, the lead had grew to 35-0, and by the middle of the second quarter, with victory all but secured, Mules Coach Chris Holt began to substitute junior varsity players into the Lathrop rotation.  Trenton got on the scoreboard with 21 seconds remaining in the second quarter, on a 4 yard run by Jaran Whitney and the extra point by Sam Schilling, making the halftime margin 49-7.

Lathrop added two second half touchdowns, the first on a 64 yard run, and the second on a 42 yard punt return, before Trenton’s Mark Trump, on his final carry as a Bulldog, scored on a 13 yard carry with 1:05 remaining in the game.  Trump, Trenton’s senior fullback, had 16 carries for 123 yards for the Bulldogs, with Trenton finishing the year at 2-8.  Lathrop, now 10-0 on the season, advances to host the #3 seed Richmond Spartans on Friday, November 8th at 7 o’clock in the District 8 semifinals.  Richmond advanced with a 48-22 win over Brookfield.

The top-seeded Maryville Spoofhounds, one win away from a likely battle with Lathrop for a district championship, had no trouble with St. Joseph Christian, ending the Lions first season in 11-man football with a 62-0 win at the Hound Pound on Friday night.  Next up for the MEC champion Spoofhounds will be Lawson, a 48-10 quarterfinal over Lexington on Friday night.

Other finals from Friday, November 1, 2019:

C1 D8

Scotland County 44, Schuyler County 8 

Putnam County 10, Princeton 7 

South Harrison 56, Knox County 0 

Milan 8, Gallatin 7 

C1 D7 

Mid-Buchanan 55, Polo 8 

East Buchanan 52, North Platte 28 

Penney 35, Maysville 21

Plattsburg 20, West Platte 6

C1 D6

Brentwood 41, Louisiana 0

Harrisburg 30, Paris 22

South Callaway 55, Westran 7

South Shelby 28, Mark Twain 20 

C1 D5

Marceline 48, St. Paul Lutheran 14

Carrollton 28, Fayette 8 

Slater 40, Salisbury 0 

Sweet Springs 54, Santa Fe 20 

C2 D7

Summit Christian Academy 55, Lone Jack 6

Knob Noster 49, St. Pius X 6

Hogan Prep 39, University Academy 20 

Higginsville 40, Holden 3

C2 D6

Clark County 59, Van-Far 14

Macon 42, Bowling Green 34

Monroe City 44, Clopton 36

Palmyra 44, Highland 12

C3 D8

Savannah 60, Northeast 0 

Cameron 51, Cameron Academy 22

Chillicothe 61, Southeast 12

Benton 40, Pembroke Hill 27 

C4 D8

Lincoln Prep 38, East 10 

Excelsior Springs 28, Lafayette 24

Platte County 36, Winnetonka 13

Smithville 60, Kearney 45

8M D1

Rich Hill 30, Osceola 28

Drexel 13, Chilhowee 0 (Forfeit)

Liberal 84, Northwest (Hughesville) 28

8M D2

Stewartsville 32, Norborne 26

North Shelby 76, Braymer 7 

8M D3

Stanberry 26, King City 22

Worth County 46, Northwest Nodaway 0 

Albany 78, Platte Valley 34

8M D4

South Holt / Nodaway-Holt 96, DeKalb 42

North Andrew 80, Bishop LeBlond 24

Mound City 52, Rock Port 6