Pioneers cap a perfect season and take home the title...dominating and frustrating the Bobcats wire to wire.
I gotta tell ya, the way the wind was whipping and as cold as it ended up being with that wind chill at Gill on Saturday I'm amazed at how well the Pioneers threw the ball, but throw they did. Giampetruzzi showed poise and precision at the helm on Saturday and led his team to a 30-14 victory and the D IV State Championship.
Josh Hughes capped his outstanding high school carreer with 130 yards on the ground.
After a 3 and out by Plymouth on the opening drive, Trinity took the ball over around midfield and the train started chugging. 9 plays later and Giampetruzzi punches it in from the 1 yard line, failed 2 point conversion 6-0 Pioneers. The score stayed that way as the 1st quarter expired. While I don't have the time of possession it was clearly in favor of the Pioneers. The Bobcats simply could not get anything going early and they went 3 and out again on their 2nd possession.
Trinity responds with another time consuming drive mixing carries between Hughes, Chambers, and Masuku. Down at the 10 yard line of Trinity, Giampetruzzi hands off to Chambers around the edge for 10 yard TD run. 2 pt conversion later, and it's 14-0 Pioneers and the Plymouth faithful are silenced...but not for long.
3rd time was a charm for Plymouth, QB Will Horan starts to get it rolling a bit. Goodale, Newberry and Brooker, started to get a little flow to their game and the Bobcats put together a nice little drive capped by a counter to N. Riesert from 11 yards out for the score. Missed PAT and the game goes into halftime with Trinity up 14-6.
Now at this point, I had a deja -vous kind of feeling...(those of you who attended last year's championship game will appreciate this). Trinity came out and simply chunked away the yardage, controlled the clock in the first quarter and a half, jumping out to a 14-0 lead over Lebanon. They then allowed Lebanon to score just before the half and the game was all Lebanon in the 2nd half. It was an eerily similar situation as Plymouth rolled right down the field to get back in the game as the half closed...but the results were not to be the same this year.
As Trinity opens with the ball in the 3rd, it looks like more of the same, Hughes, Carrier, Chambers...chunk, chunk. Add a little Spread to the equation Giampetruzzi up the gut and Masuku for good measure every now and again. However, from inside the Plymouth 20, they go for it on 4th and short and Plymouth's John Thomas stuff it. Bobcats ball...oh my could this really be a deja vu?! Nope.
The Trinity D would not be denied, Will Horan scrambles to his left and throws a pass intended for Reisert and the ball floats on him a little bit. Trinity DB Masuku goes up for it and makes a spectacular one handed grab for the pick. Then while returning the pick is upended and appeared to tweak his leg as he returned the pick into Plymouth territory.
A few plays later and Hughes scampers into the end zone from 15 yards out to put the Pioneers up 22-6.
The Bobcats would not go quietly however, as on the next possesion, Brandon Goodale goes up the middle and makes a nice cut upfield, turns on the jets and just outruns a diving Hughes and scampers into the corner of the end zone for a 45 yard TD run. Newberry converts the 2 pt conversion 22-14 Pioneers.
Fourth Quarter, you're on your own 35, and you have 1 yard to go for a first. That's right, I said you're own 35. Punt or go for it...punt right? Nope not Coach Leonard...this is one where you're a genius if it works and your questioned forever if it comes back and bites you. Well, call Coach Leonard a genius...he goes for it and goes with his horse (Hughes) who rumbes 30 yards deep inside Plymouth territory. You could feel the wind come out of the Bobcats sails on that play. If that wasn't bad enough, their entire ship sank a couple plays later as Giampetruzzi throws a strike to a leaping Lauderdale who goes up and over Newberry to haul in a 15 yard TD Pass in the endzone. 2pt conversion later and you can now close the books on 2011. Congratulations to your undefeated 2011 Champion Trinity Pioneers!
Great Season guys and Gratz to both teams on a great title game and fantastic seasons!!!
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