Wildcats outlast Trojans
By: Aaron Pyle
For the Trojans in their prior contest, Sept. 25, Girard was able to shutout the Anderson County Bulldogs 41-0 capturing the second win of the season. Following the victory, the Trojans stayed home at Frank Jameson Field for a matchup against the Logan-Rogersville Wildcats (3-2) from Missouri.
Originally the Trojans were scheduled to face Prairie View (3-1) Friday, Oct. 2 but due to COVID-19, the game was canceled. That’s when the Girard administration worked together to find a new opponent for the Trojans. Coming into the matchup as well, the Trojans were without seniors Connor Olivera, Logan Thomas and junior Gage Davenport who are currently under quarantine.
Opening the contest on the third play of the game, the Wildcats launched a pass downfield which ran into the endzone for a 75-yard touchdown. Making the extra-point attempt, Logan-Rogersville went up 7-0 to open the game. On the kickoff following the score, Girard senior Zac Davis returned the ball for about 73-yards to narrow the deficit. Girard would have the field goal blocked as the Wildcats remained with the lead, 7-6.
The two offense cooled off after the opening offensive drives until the Wildcats gained momentum off a 34-yard pass downfield to set up Logan-Rogersville at the six-yard-line. This then set up the Wildcats to run the ball in for a 7-yard touchdown to open the second quarter.
Girard would go cold on offense for the first half of the second quarter. That’s when Alex Coester gave Girard needed energy when the sophomore ran the ball back on a punt return for a Trojans’ touchdown. The Trojans would make the two-point conversion on a pass from senior Caden Lallemand to senior Mason Huebner as 4:12 remained on the clock.
The Wildcats soon responded after milking a majority of the clock in the second quarter. The agile, shifty quarterback of the Wildcats put Logan-Rogersville ahead with seven seconds remaining in the first half. Making the field goal, the Wildcats led the Trojans 21-14 at halftime.
Neither team was able to get going offensively through much of the third quarter. An interception by junior Ethan Merrell midway through the third would set up the Trojans in excellent field positioning putting Girard in the red-zone at the Wildcats 14. This key turnover set up Lallemand to run in a 6-yard touchdown putting Girard back into the ballgame. Davidson once again made the extra-point attempt tying the game at 21-21 with 5:43 remaining in the third quarter.
Opening the fourth, the Wildcats’ ability to move out of the pocket helped the team gain traction, momentum on the Trojans. The shifty Wildcats went up on the Trojans once again early in the fourth scoring off a 33-yard scramble. Making the extra-point, Girard trailed Logan-Rogersville 28-21.
From there, the defense of the Wildcats kept the Girard offense to a minimum. For a majority of the fourth quarter, Logan-Rogersville maintained possession of the ball milking the clock which ultimately sealed the victory for the Wildcats. The final score of the contest was 28-21 as the Trojans move down to a record of 2-3 on the season.
After falling to the Wildcats, the Trojans remain home at Frank Jameson Field for their next matchup Friday, Oct. 9 against Burlington (4-1) in a district showdown. In the last contest for Burlington, Oct. 2, the Wildcats fell to Frontenac 28-12 which stopped a four-game winning streak for Burlington.