Trimble Tomcats Show Promise, But Drop Overtime Thriller In West Virginia
By: Grayson Wolf, Zach Paquette
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MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. (WOUB) — The Trimble Tomcats traveled to West Virginia to take on the John Marshall Monarchs on Friday night. The two-and-a-half-hour drive seemed to wear on the Tomcats as their first two drives stalled out after three plays.
“We got off the bus a little tired I guess,” Trimble head coach Phil Faires said.
They let up two rushing touchdowns to Monarchs’ quarterback, Connor Fitzpatrick, and running back, Ashton Collett with two minutes to go in the first quarter.
The game was looking like it was getting out of hand for the Tomcats when quarterback Tabor Lackey hit Tucker Dixon for a 75-yard gain down the left sideline to spark the Trimble offense. Bryce Downs then finished off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run to end the first quarter.
On the next Tomcats possession Lackey ran in a three-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14. John Marshall took the kickoff back for a good return to set up a 28-yard field goal by Conor Fitzpatrick to give the Monarchs a 17-14 lead heading into halftime.
After a Klypson Wallace touchdown run to put the Monarchs up two possessions for a second time, Lackey connected with Dixon again for a 14-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24-20 after a blocked PAT. Dixon finished the night as Trimble’s leading receiver with five receptions for 178 yards and one touchdown.
Trimble then forced the Monarchs into a three-and-out and got the ball back midway through the fourth quarter. Lackey led a long and methodical drive down the field.
On fourth down from the John Marshall 33-yard line, Lackey took a deep shot to Dixon that would fall incomplete, but with the help of a defensive pass interference, the drive was kept alive. Three plays later, the drive was capped off with a six-yard touchdown run by Lackey to put the Tomcats up 27-24 with 38 seconds to play.
However, the excitement was just getting started. John Marshall drove down the field and after a Tomcats facemask on fourth down they were placed on the 21-yard line with two seconds left. Fitzpatrick nailed the 36-yard field goal to send the Monarch homecoming crowd into a frenzy as the game was sent to overtime.
Trimble started the overtime period with the football and after a 17-yard run from Lackey, Bryce Downs punched it in from three-yards out for his second touchdown of the game. The Tomcats missed the extra and it proved to be the difference as the Monarchs scored on their possession and Fitzpatrick hit the extra point to give the Monarchs the 34-33 win.
Conor Fitzpatrick was the hero for the Monarchs as he hit three extra points, a 28-yard field goal, and the 36-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.
Tabor Lackey was all over the field for the Tomcats as he finished with 388 total yards — 244 through the air, 144 on the ground — and three total touchdowns.
“I think Lackey did a really good job stepping it up. He’s just having a great year,” Faires said.
Bryce Downs was a great compliment in the backfield as he had nine rushes and two touchdowns. Austin Wisor had a good night as well with two receptions for 45 yards.
Faires hopes that this game will prepare the Tomcats moving forward. “It was a playoff atmosphere and playing in overtime puts that pressure on that you don’t get in every regular season game,” Faires said.
Trimble (3-1) will host Fort Frye (5-0) next week in a game where Trimble will be put to the test yet again