For the second consecutive season, the Trenton Bulldogs traveled to Lathrop High School for the Class 2, District 8 quarterfinals, hoping to repeat the success found in a road win in 2016 that sent THS to Lexington for the semifinal round.
Both the Bulldogs and Mules, on Friday night, were greeted by a steady and strong south wind, blowing into the face of the Lathrop offense in the 1st and 4th quarters, and into the face of the Trenton team in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. That wind played a critical role in Lathrop dominating the middle portion of the game, in a 41-15 final that will send the Mules to Lexington this season, ending Trenton’s season at 4-6.
After a scoreless first quarter, Trenton started the second quarter inside the Mules 10 yard line, but lost yardage to give the Bulldogs a 3rd-and-goal opportunity at the Lathrop 10. Senior quarterback Lathan Croy hit wide-out Colton Colston on a slant pattern for a touchdown, with the Mason Owen extra point giving the 6th-seeded Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.
Lathrop tied the game 5 1/2 minutes later, with a 6 yard scoring run by Seth McKnight cutting the lead to 7-6, while kicker Justin Burns tied the game with a successful extra point.
Trenton had a damaging holding penalty take away a potential 67 yard touchdown run by Matthew Sibbit, with the Bulldogs having to punt into the stiff breeze from the 29-yard line, instead of going for a 4th-and-1. The wind knocked down the punt at the Bulldogs 47 yard line, and three plays later, McKnight had a 38 yard touchdown run, with the Burns extra point giving the Mules a 14-7 lead.
On Trenton’s next possession, the Mules defense grabbed an interception on another slant pass attempt, and while the Bulldogs defense held the Mules out of the end zone, Burns, using the stiff wind at his back, nailed a 35 yard field goal, giving Lathrop a 17-7 halftime lead.
Trenton got the ball first in the third quarter, but the Lathrop defense pushed the Bulldogs, who started at the 20, back to the 9-yard line, with a punt shortened by the wind returned deep into Trenton’s territory. Despite a 10-yard penalty against Lathrop on the return, the Mules were able to connect with Brock Lewis hitting Hunter Sloan on a 34 yard touchdown pass, with Burns making the lead 24-7.
Lightning-quick senior Devyn Williams raced away from the Bulldogs for a 66 yard touchdown pass for 31-7 lead, while Burns hammered a 47 yard field goal for a 34-7 lead at the end of the third quarter. The wind, among many positive factors for the Mules, was utilized to keep the Bulldogs offense pinned at the 20 yard line, with Burns hammering kick after kick through the north end zone at Lathrop High School.
Trenton showed some signs of a fourth-quarter comeback, with a 4 yard touchdown run by Croy (and two-point conversion by Croy) cutting the lead to 34-15, but Lathrop played good ball-control offense, running clock, and scoring on a 1-yard plunge by McKnight with 6:53 to go, with the Burns extra point leaving the final score at 41-15.
The win pushes Lathrop’s record to 8-2, and sends the Mules to 9-1 Lexington this Friday night for a Class 2, District 8 semifinal at 7 o’clock. Lexington beat MRVC East rival Carrollton in the quarterfinal round, 49-21. Trenton, in its second season in the Grand River Conference, finished 4-3 in GRC play, tied for 3rd place, while ending the campaign at 4-6 overall.
The #1 seed in District 8 got a strong challenge from the Brookfield Bulldogs on Friday night, but the Lafayette County (Higginsville) Huskers survived with a 30-13 victory, improving to 10-0 on the season. The Huskers will host the Lawson Cardinals on Friday, after Lawson was very impressive in a 36-6 win at Bishop LeBlond in the quarterfinal round.
