Trojans can’t hang on for win

Published 12:57 am Saturday, October 22, 2011

Joel Taylor looks for running room in the Trojans’ 39-19 homecoming loss to Abbeville Christian. The Trojans were unable to break loose in the second half, allowing the Generals to pull away. -- Rick Couch

Though Meadowview Christian School played toe-to-toe with Abbeville Christian  for most of the night, a fourth quarter surge by the Generals proved to be the difference in the game.

Abbeville pulled away with 13 fourth-quarter points, while holding the Trojans scoreless to bring home the 39-19 win.

Trojan head coach Lebo Jones said fundamentals told the story of the game when it was all said and done.

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“We just didn’t block and tackle well enough to win tonight,” he said. “We’ve got to keep playing hard and keep getting better.”

Abbeville drew first blood on a drive similar to most of their scoring possessions of the night.

The Generals used a nine-play, 50-yard drive to grind out its first points of the game, capped by a 14-yard Dakota Hudson score to make the score 6-0. Blaine Sellers connected on the extra point to make the score 7-0 with 7:33 to go in the first quarter.

The Trojans would counter with a nine-play, 69-yard drive of their own. Meadowview also kept the ball on the ground for most of the drive and powered its way to a 13-yard Devante Moorer touchdown run to make the score 7-7 following a Dylan Lawrence extra point with 2:59 to go in the first quarter.

Abbeville again found pay dirt on its next possession as well, riding Sellers, who led the team with 138 yards on 19 carries to set up another Hudson touchdown, this time from 4-yards out.

The Trojan offense cooled off to begin the second quarter, opening the door for Abbeville to extend its lead with another Hudson touchdown from 4-yards out to make the score 19-7 with 1:18 to go in the half.

A blocked extra point had the Trojans charged up, which they turned into a quick 40-yard scoring drive after a long Lawrence kickoff return into General territory.

Meadowview needed only three plays for Lawrence to finish the drive from 8 yards away to make the score 20-13 with :36 seconds to go in the half.

When the teams took the field to start the third quarter, it appeared as if all of the momentum had shifted to the Trojans. Lawrence took the opening kickoff 85-yards to  pull Meadowview to within a 20-19 score only seconds into the second half.

However, the extra point was blocked, and with it, the air was taken out of the Trojan attack.

Abbeville added a 3-yard touchdown run from Cody Helms with 7:49 to go in the third and a late 16-yard score from Jameson Brown with 2:42 to go in the game to end the scoring.

Though the Trojans, who were held to 237 total yards, could never get in a rhythm, Jones said he has noticed improvement and feels his team will only get better as it gains experience.

“We are a young team,” he said. “I think once I can get a full spring in with them and preseason we’ll be much better.”

The Trojans (1-8) travel to Chambers Academy Friday to end the season.
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