Third quarter slump dooms Trenton’s upset hopes at East Buchanan

The Trenton Bulldogs scored first in the opening quarter and put up a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs gave up 34 consecutive points over the middle of Friday night’s contest in a 40-18 loss at East Buchanan, in a Class 2, District 8 quarterfinal from Gower on KGOZ FM 101.7. 

Facing a fourth-and-1 from their own side of midfield, East Buchanan gambled on the first series of the game, with a poor throw to the running back giving Trenton the possession.  The Bulldogs, on a two-yard scoring run by Mason Rongey with 6:09 remaining in the first quarter, took a 6-0 lead, as the PAT was unsuccessful.  The ensuing kickoff was returned to the Trenton 35 yard line by East Buchanan, with the hosts, on a 5 yard run by Rhoad and a successful PAT with 4:24 left in the quarter giving EB a 7-6 lead that they never relinquished to the visiting Bulldogs. 

For most of the second quarter, the game remained 7-6, with Trenton hanging with the #3 seeds, before a 41 yard touchdown run by Aidan Smith giving EB a 14-6 lead at the half. 

The third quarter slowly extinguished Trenton’s upset dreams, with East Buchanan ripping off three consecutive touchdowns, on a 2 yard run by Rhoad, a six yard run by Smith, and a three-yard catch by Coen Brown.  The score after three quarters was East Buchanan 34, Trenton 6. 

The Bulldogs, as they have all season, showed fight in the face of adversity, with a Rongey to Aiden Weyer three-yard touchdown pass drawing THS to within 34-12 with eight minutes to go.  A blocked punt from Trenton senior Logan Wilson gave THS the ball deep in East Buchanan territory, but an interception, the third of the night thrown by Trenton, was returned 100 yards for a touchdown by Landon Smith, pushing the lead to 40-12.  Trenton’s final points of the 2024 season came from a one-yard quarterback sneak by Rongey with less than a minute to go in the contest.

The 40-18 setback ends Trenton’s football season at 2-8, while improving East Buchanan to 8-2.  East Buchanan will play at Mid-Buchanan in the Class 2, District 8 semifinals this Friday night, November 8th at 7 o’clock. 

Other district scores from Friday, November 1, 2024: 

C1, D3

Crest Ridge 35, Linn 0 

Cole Camp 30, Russellville 22

C1, D4

Maysville 27, Gallatin 20 (Thursday on KTTN FM 92.3) 

C2, D8 

Lawson 36, South Harrison 18 

Mid-Buchanan 58, Lathrop 0 (Thursday) 

East Buchanan 40, Trenton 18 

C2, D7 

Clark County 26, Palmyra 22 

Monroe City 54, Highland 14 

Macon 37, Mark Twain 0 

C2, D6 

Butler 42, Sherwood 6 

Kipp Legacy 52, Hogan Prep 8 

Holden 46, Lone Jack 0 

C2, D3

Centralia 44, Carrollton 6

Tolton Catholic 56, Lexington 8 

South Callaway 42, North Callaway 32

C3, D8 

Chillicothe 58, KC Northeast 6

Maryville 48, Lafayette 13

Cameron 48, Benton 12

C3, D7

Oak Grove 30, Clinton 0 

St. Michael the Archangel 42, KC Central 6

Summit Christian Academy 21, University Academy 12 

C4, D8

Savannah 77, KC Southeast 0 

Smithville 65, KC Center 0 

Van Horn 31, Excelsior Springs 24

Eight Man: 

District 8: 

Knox County 52, Princeton 16

District 7: 

Worth County 60, Stanberry 0 

King City 88, Pattonsburg 48

District 6:

East Atchison 44, Mound City 12

North Andrew 54, South Holt 6

District 5: 

DeKalb 52, Northland Christian 20 

Plattsburg 58, Stewartsville/Osborn 6

District 4: 

Wellington-Napoleon 82, Southwest Livingston 6

Santa Fe 30, Orrick 20 

District 3: 

Slater 86, Keytesville 0 

Sweet Springs 46, St. Paul Lutheran 23