Trojans Hold on for Senior Day Win
UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor capped the home portion of its regular season with a perfect 5-0 record at Turner Stadium and won its sixth-straight game on the home turf with a 42-37 Senior Day win over Madonna on a brisk Saturday afternoon.
The two offenses had their way throughout the back-and-forth contest, combining for 79 points, 1,003 total yards of offense and 51 first downs. The teams also combined for 19 penalties, five fumbles, a blocked kick and a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
For its part in the wild affair, TU produced 507 total yards of offense on 27 first downs, averaging 6.5 yards per play. Much of the damage came on the ground, with the Trojans powering for 319 rushing yards on 5.2 yards a pop.
Brady Trebley played well under center once again, completing 11 passes for 188 yards and four touchdowns, while JJ Payne caught three passes for two scores and 117 yards. Nathan Parker excelled once again, rushing 21 times for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Despite allowing 37 points on 496 total yards, the Taylor defense did just enough with big plays throughout to help preserve the win. Grady Stanley led the unit with 11 tackles, with Samuel Ringer adding eight tackles, forcing one fumble and recovering another. Seth Tolliver also had an active day with 1.5 sacks.
The visiting Crusaders (3-7, 0-4 MSFA) brought the fight early, ripping off 185 yards on their first three possessions while dominating the action. After scoring two touchdowns and moving into position for a third, Tolliver delivered one of the biggest plays of the day with a strip-sack that was recovered by Ringer to end MU’s early momentum.
Moments later, after having already connected on a 63-yard touchdown, Trebley found Payne over the middle again for a 39-yard score that drew the Trojans even at 14-14.
Having withstood the early onslaught, TU turned to the ground game for 109 yards in the second quarter and got scoring runs from Parker and Jedidiah Galvin to build a 35-24 lead at the half. The gap expanded to 42-24 on the opening drive of the third quarter, with Trebley finding Aidan Zimmer in the end zone from 14 yards out to cap a 10-play scoring march.
The 42-10 stretch from Taylor after falling in the quick 14-0 hole seemingly put the Purple and Gray in command, but a 96-yard kickoff return on the ensuing kickoff put momentum right back on the Madonna sideline.
A pair of punts and an interception on TU’s next three possessions continued to give hope to the visitors but Stanley made a key fourth down tackle and Preston Bannister blocked a field goal to keep the Crusaders at bay.
The game got tighter in the closing moments, as Madonna held on a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line with 2:43 to play and drew within 42-37 with 64 ticks showing on the clock.
TU finally put the game in the win column with a recovered on-side kick and a third-down run for 14 yards from Parker to seal the victory.
The win moved Taylor to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in the MSFA Mideast League with a date at Saint Francis (7-3, 3-1 MSFA) remaining on the schedule. That regular season finale is set for a 1:00 pm start on November 14.
The Trojans will enter that contest with a 24-8 clip over their last three campaigns, putting them just one win shy of the 1997, 1998 and 1999 teams for the best three-year win total in program history.
Recent Comments