Trojans shut out the Lancers for homecoming

STAFF REPORTS

The Girard Trojans football team earned a much-needed victory last night against the Southeast Lancers for their homecoming.

Following queen coronation at 6:40 p.m., in which Jaylynn Blythe was nominated queen, the Trojans opened up their sixth game of the season with a determination to rebound from their loss against Colgan last Friday.

Immediately following the opening kickoff from Southeast, Girard’s Camden McFarland found a lane to the end zone after receiving a handoff from Kyler Siebert.

After a completed PAT field goal, the Trojans led by seven points in the first seven seconds of the game.

On the following offensive possession, McFarland scored again with a completed PAT field goal to bring the score to 14-0.

Now on defense, Girard forced the Lancers into a punting situation on the Lancers’ 20-yard line. The Trojans gained possession on the five-yard line after bringing down the Lancers’ punter who had issues handling the snap.

In one play, McFarland scored for the third time with a run up the middle to bring the score to 21-0 after a completed PAT field goal.

Early into the second quarter, the Trojans’ defense forced Southeast into another punting situation but failed to convert the drive into a touchdown after Siebert was sacked from behind by a Southeast defender and lost the ball.

However, the Trojans instantly answered back with a touchdown by Cole Cuthbertson after he ripped the ball out of a Southeast running back’s hands and ran for nearly 20 yards into the end zone.

After kicking off, the Trojans found themselves in great scoring position again after Siebert recovered a fumble on the Lancers’ 15-yard line.

They failed to turn this momentum into a touchdown, after Southeast made an interception in the end zone for a touchback.

The Trojans then forced Southeast to punt and Kreed Curran returned the ball for 40 yards to bring it just shy of the end zone.

Following Curran’s return, McFarland found his way into the end zone for the fourth time to bring the score to 33-0.

Girard’s defense continued to deny any Southeast progress up the field, and headed into the locker room at half time with a 33-point lead.

During their first offensive drive of the third quarter, the Trojans drove up the field and Siebert was able to find his way into the end zone on a run up the middle to bring the score to 39-0.

Girard’s defense then turned around after kicking off and forced Southeast into yet another punting situation.

The Trojans scored on this drive after an outside run by McFarland into the end zone to bring the score to 45-0 at the end of the third quarter.

As Girard began replacing their starters with fresh bodies in the fourth quarter, their defense continued to shut down Southeast’s offense and deny any entrance into the end zone.

Less than four minutes into the fourth quarter, Girard’s Durbie McReynolds ran 29 yards for another touchdown to bring the score to 53-0 after McReynolds scored his own two-point conversion.

The Trojans finished off the game with numerous young faces in and held the score to 53-0 to earn their second victory of the season.

Girard will begin district play this Friday, Oct. 13, in Anderson County against the Bulldogs.