Novak, Rongey lead Trenton to season opening win over Brookfield

Senior running back Gabe Novak had unofficial totals of 25 carries for 241 yards, while adding a 53 yard touchdown on a first quarter screen pass, while junior Mason Rongey had a touchdown run, a pair of touchdown passes, and two interceptions on defense, as the Trenton Bulldogs, in action heard on Hot Country Z 101.7, downed the Brookfield Bulldogs 36-18 at C.F. Russell Stadium.

Friday’s heat pushed the kickoff back to 8 o’clock, but the offenses started fast, with Brookfield taking the opening kick and working down the field, with a Switzer 5 yard scoring catch giving the visitors a 6-0 lead.  BHS, on the kickoff to Trenton, stunned the Bulldogs on the kickoff, with an onside kick nearly recovered by Brookfield, but the ball squirted through a pair of Brookfield hands before being recovered by Trenton.  Two plays and a 15 yard horse-collar penalty later, Brayden Hughs scored on an 11 yard touchdown run, evening the score at 6.  Tom Johnson had the play-by-play call on KGOZ: 

Brookfield regained possession of the football after the Trenton score, and BHS appeared to have bogged down near midfield, facing third and long from the 41 yard line.  A successful trick play saw the quarterback Parn throw a backwards pass to wide receiver Switzer.  He then threw a strike to a wide-open Walgren down the sideline for a 69 yard scoring play, as Brookfield regained the 12-6 advantage.

Trenton responded to Brookfield’s success with a middle screen pass called to Novak, fooling the defense as the Trenton senior galloped 53 yards: 

The game remained tied at 12 into the early stages of the second quarter, with Trenton losing the ball on downs at the Brookfield 5 yard line.  Attempting to gain yardage on a quarterback keeper, Parn was stopped in the end zone, as Trenton grabbed a 14-12 advantage 22 seconds into the second quarter.  Brookfield rallied for the lead with 2:11 remaining in the half, on a Parn 8 yard run.  Another failed PAT left the score at 18-14.

Trenton got the ball with 2:11 remaining in the half, and began to drive on Brookfield, with one eye on the end zone and one on the quickly receding clock.  A defensive holding penalty just outside the goal line with no time on the clock gave Trenton one more play to try to grab the lead.  A connection from Rongey to sophomore receiver Elijah Miller did exactly that: 

The successful two-point conversion run by Rongey gave the home team a 22-18 lead at the break.  The game stayed at that mark throughout an evenly played third quarter, before Trenton began to lead on its potent running attack to wear down the Brookfield defense.  THS put the contest out of reach with a six yard Rongey touchdown run and a five yard Novak touchdown run, both in the fourth quarter, leaving the final margin 36-18.

Brookfield had five passes intercepted by Trenton defenders, with Trenton only turning over the ball to Brookfield once, that via fumble.  Trenton did have 10 penalties amassing 85 yards.  Brookfield had eight penalties for 50 yards.

THS (1-0) will travel to Lathrop to tangle with the Mules on Friday night, September 1st, with Brookfield returning home to host rival Marceline in the annual “Bell Game” on the same night.

Here is the high school football scoreboard from Friday, August 25, 2023: 

South Shelby 49, Milan 6 (On KTTN FM 92.3) 

North Platte 22, Gallatin 6

East Buchanan 44, South Harrison 8 (At Lathrop)

Polo 29, West Platte 0

Highland 32, Putnam County 26

Higginsville 34, Penney 6

Oak Grove 47, Lawson 7

Mid-Buchanan 50, Cass-Midway 13

Lathrop 24, Lexington 8 

St. Pius X 54, Pembroke Hill 6

Cameron 20, Lincoln Prep 0

Marshall 19, Chillicothe 13

St. Joseph Benton 44, KC Northeast 0 

Savannah 35, Portageville 34

Blair Oaks 41, Maryville 14

Warsaw 36, Marceline 8

Cabool 20, Harrisburg 12

Clark County 38, Scotland County 0

Kirksville 42, Macon 26

Hallsville 46, Palmyra 6

Centralia 27, Mexico 0

Monroe City 32, Mark Twain 16

Fayette 22, Carrollton 18

Westran 22, North Callaway 6

8-Man: 

South Holt 58, Princeton 50

Pattonsburg 54, Rock Port 46 (Saturday) 

Plattsburg 78, Maysville 70 (Saturday) 

Stanberry 42, Mound City 8

East Atchison 54, King City 6

Nodaway Valley 34, North Andrew 8

Albany 70, Stewartsville/Osborn 24

Platte Valley 38, Worth County 34

St. Joseph Christian 54, DeKalb 12

Braymer 96, Slater 44

Bishop LeBlond 58, North Shelby 42

SW Livingston 38, Paris 18

Schuyler County 54, Knox County 26

Concordia 67, Northland Christian 20

Sweet Springs 32, Norborne/Hardin-Central 20

Santa Fe 10, Northwest (Hughesville) 6

St. Paul Lutheran 38, Orrick 26