Fourth quarter domination sends Highway 6 trophy to Trenton for the first time

For 3 1/2 quarters on Friday night at Bulldog Stadium in Gallatin, the high school football matchup between Grand River Conference rivals Trenton and Gallatin looked like two evenly matched teams, and not a duel between 6-1 Trenton and 1-6 Gallatin.

Gallatin, playing with the hopes of retaining the Highway 6 Rivalry trophy for the eighth consecutive year, played to a 14-14 draw with Trenton until the visitors racked up 31 consecutive points in a 4:18 timespan in the final quarter, with THS taking the 45-14 triumph.

Gallatin opened the scoring with 4:59 remaining in the second quarter, as quarterback Peyton Baker, playing with a upper ankle sprain that slowed his mobility throughout the contest, hit Boston Bell on a 37-yard slant pattern.  Tom Johnson had the call on KGOZ FM 101.7: 

Trenton responded with points by the end of the half, as senior halfback Brayden Hughs scampered into the west end zone with 45 seconds to go until the break.  The extra point by Gonzalo Moscorro gave THS the 7-6 halftime lead: 

Despite being held relatively in check with rushing numbers by an inspired Gallatin defense, Trenton senior Gabe Novak got loose for the first score of the second half, a 20 yard race to the pylon with 7:20 remaining in the third quarter, as Moscorro’s PAT boosted the Trenton lead to 14-6:

Gallatin tied the game at 14 midway through the third quarter, as Cale Turner, two plays after a Trenton fumble gave GHS possession, ran 22 yards for a touchdown.  A successful two-point run by Baker knotted the game.

The contest remained tied until the 7:34 mark of the fourth quarter, when a Moscorro field goal gave Trenton the 17-14 advantage.  That score opened the floodgates for THS, as Mason Rongey added a 59 yard touchdown run just over 90 seconds later: 

Three more touchdowns would follow for Trenton, as Novak’s 16 yard run was followed by a 45 yard gallop by Rongey and a 44 yard scoring strike from Rongey to Aiden Weyer.

Rongey finished the night with 142 yards rushing for Trenton (7-1, 4-1), with Novak adding 112 and Hughs 71.  For Gallatin (1-7, 1-5), Boston Bell had 81 yards on the ground, with Stanley Hanson 18 carries for 56 yards.

Trenton will finish the regular season at South Harrison on Friday night (KGOZ FM 101.7), with Gallatin in non-conference action heading to Marceline.

Other high school football finals from Friday, October 13, 2023: 

Milan 28, Polo 7 (on KTTN FM 92.3) 

Maysville 42, Putnam County 40

South Harrison 38, Scotland County 6

North Platte 44, West Platte 0

East Buchanan 35, Mid-Buchanan 6

Lawson 19, Lathrop 14

Penney 56, Wellington-Napoleon 24

Maryville 39, Savannah 20

Cameron 42, Benton 12

St. Pius X 83, Lafayette 14

Odessa 49, Chillicothe 6

Richmond 42, Knob Noster 0

Higginsville 58, Lexington 6

Holden 40, Carrollton 0

Brookfield 26, Clark County 14

Monroe City 36, Macon 7

Palmyra 44, Highland 0

South Shelby 48, Centralia 14

Marceline 14, Westran 13

Harrisburg 50, Fayette 8

St. Joseph Christian 80, Princeton 44

Pattonsburg 90, Albany 66

Stanberry 38, North Andrew 0

Worth County 62, King City 8

Plattsburg 53, Concordia 13

Schuyler County 62, Northland Christian 14

North Shelby 64, Orrick 18

Braymer 80, Southwest Livingston 36

Northwest (Hughesville) 58, Paris 0

St. Paul Lutheran 51, Norborne/Hardin-Central 8

Platte Valley 60, DeKalb 0

East Atchison 36, Rock Port 16

South Holt 54, Mound City 26

Nodaway Valley 56, Stewartsville/Osborn 6

Photo credit – Trenton High School Athletics / TQC Facebook / Gallatin, MO