South Harrison stays unbeaten with dramatic OT win at Trenton

The South Harrison Bulldogs held off a spirited second-half rally by the Trenton Bulldogs on Friday night, spoiling homecoming festivities at THS with a 36-28 overtime victory, heard on KGOZ FM 101.7. 

The victory improves South Harrison to a record of 5-0, with a perfect 4-0 mark in the Grand River Conference, with Trenton falling to both 1-4 in GRC and overall competition. 

The visitors from Bethany opened the scoring with 1:44 remaining in the first quarter on a six yard touchdown run by Mason Galloway, with the extra point giving the Bulldogs a 7-0 advantage.  Trenton’s offense scuffled early against the rugged South Harrison defense, but momentum turned briefly to the home side following a early second quarter punt that had South Harrison starting inside the 5 yard line: 

Tom Johnson with the call on KGOZ Radio.  Gonzalo Mascorro’s extra point tied the game at 7.

Answering Trenton’s challenge quickly, South Harrison took the lead back less than a minute later, with a Crae Coffey 44 yard run sending the advantage to 14-7.  An 82 yard run by Galloway pushed the lead to 20-7 midway through the second quarter: 

Trenton showed renewed enthusiasm into the second half, with a nearly five minute drive coming out of the locker room resulting in points on the legs of Cooper Houser, as the one yard touchdown dive getting Trenton within 20-14.

The Bulldogs momentum continued into the early fourth quarter, with a run by Houser tying the game at 20 with 9:03 left on the clock: 

Mascorro’s PAT send the lead to THS by a score of 21-20.  However, just as in the first half, South Harrison answered adversity with an emphatic touchdown run, with a 87 yard keeper by sophomore quarterback Bryson Quinley and a two-point run by Galloway giving South Harrison a 28-21 advantage.

The 87 yard answer by Quinley came just 19 seconds after Trenton had taken the lead, turning pressure back to the THS offense.  Although South Harrison’s defense made the drive difficult, Trenton moved inside the red zone only to see South Harrison force a fourth-and-goal from the six yard line with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.  Under increasing pressure from the Bulldogs defensive line, Mason Rongey found Aiden Weyer for a clutch Trenton touchdown: 

Mascorro hit his fourth consecutive PAT, with Rongey masterfully handling a high snap as holder, evening the score at 28.  A last second field goal attempt of 32 yards for South Harrison was just short of the crossbar, sending the game to overtime.

Trenton’s defense shined early in overtime, forcing South Harrison into a fourth-down conversion attempt.  South Harrison found Coffey on a passing play of 20 yards, pushing the ball to the Trenton six, with Galloway adding his third rushing touchdown of the night one play later: 

Galloway added the two-point conversion, forcing Trenton’s offense to pick up a matching eight points to force a second overtime.  Facing 3rd down and 18 from the 33 yard line, an interception by South Harrison ended the contest and salvaged the Bulldogs unbeaten start.  South Harrison will host Maysville in the Bulldogs homecoming game this week (Friday, October 4th at 7 PM), with Trenton traveling to Milan to play the Wildcats on KGOZ FM 101.7, with both the Bulldogs and Wildcats looking to rebound from disappointing one-score defeats, as Milan lost at Polo on Friday night by a score of 10-7.

Here is the complete high school football scoreboard for Friday, September 27, 2024: 

South Harrison 36, Trenton 28 (OT) 

Polo 10, Milan 7 

Marceline 21, Maysville 13

Brookfield 50, Putnam County 14

Westran 44, Gallatin 15

Penney 41, North Platte 7 

Mid-Buchanan 34, Lawson 6

East Buchanan 63, Lathrop 19 

Tolton Catholic 63, West Platte 35

Holden 22, Lexington 0 

Lafayette County 70, Richmond 28 

Knob Noster 48, Carrollton 6

Savannah 54, Benton 6

Maryville 44, Cameron 6

St. Pius X 64, Chillicothe 0 

Kirksville 40, Marshall 0 

Moberly 49, Fulton 6

Hannibal 40, Mexico 0 

Princeton 44, Stanberry 42

King City 50, Pattonsburg 8 

Worth County 22, St. Joseph Christian 18 

Albany 38, North Andrew 20 

DeKalb 52, Stewartsville/Osborn 14

Nodaway Valley 56, Mound City 6

Rock Port 68, South Holt 20 (Thursday) 

Platte Valley 56, East Atchison 26 (Thursday) 

Braymer 36, Northwest (Hughesville) 26

Concordia 55, Orrick 6

Slater 84, Keytesville 0 

St. Paul Lutheran 33, Santa Fe 8 

Wellington-Napoleon 54, Sweet Springs 38

Norborne/Hardin-Central 86, Southwest Livingston 6

Schuyler County 62, Knox County 44

North Shelby 52, Paris 14

Archie 38, Bishop LeBlond 14

Plattsburg 74, Kansas City East Christian 28