Trimble Excels On Both Sides Of Ball In Playoff Win Versus Irish
By: Nick Henthorn
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The greatest expression of dominance in sports is when the opponent knows exactly what you are going to do, and they still cannot stop it.
On Saturday night, such was the case for the Trimble Tomcats.
The Tomcats beat the visiting Fischer Catholic Irish 36-0 in the first round of the OHSAA region 27 playoffs. Trimble’s defense pitched their eighth shutout of the season, while their vaunted wishbone offense plowed through the opposition once again.
The game started off sluggishly, with three-and-outs aplenty in the early goings. Whether it was both teams feeling eachother out or a symptom of a wet field and cold temperatures, neither team had the look of an explosive offense. The Tomcats, though, were not kept off the scoreboard entirely, as quarterback Cameron Kittle was able to sneak the ball into the endzone from a yard out in a drive where Trimble had no play that gained more than 10 yards.
There was a poor snap on the ensuing point after attempt, but the botched play ended up benefiting the Tomcats, as running back/ placekicker Max Hooper was able to scamper around Fischer Catholic and secure an impromptu two-point conversion.
That touchdown came with 5:57 remaining in the first quarter, and the score would stand at 8-0 for the rest of the half.
Trimble was able to keep the Irish off the scoreboard the same way they had with seven of their other opponents; a hard-hitting, hard-nosed brand of defense. The second quarter of action opened with Catholic Fisher on the Tomcat’s 1-yard line, as they had gained some momentum by pulling out a page from Trimble’s book and employing the wishbone set. Phil Faires’ defense, however, was able to buckle down and stuff four straight runs up the middle to force a turnover on downs in a display of determination that definitely demoralized the Irish.
Linebackers Sawyer Koons and Sam Ives were a driving force behind the Tomcats’ defensive machine, with Koons recording a sack and both men excelling in stopping the run.
Trimble’s offense shared some of the same traits as their teammates on the other side of the ball, as they brought grit and tenacity even when the ball wasn’t being moved as easily as they are used to early on. The Tomcats’ ground-and-pound style demands execution from it’s players, and Trimble’s offensive line of Ian Joyce, Alex Coffman, Zach Guffey, Shawn Turley, and Garett Richards met those demands Saturday. Even when defenders did break through, rushers Cameron Wright and Max Hooper made something out of nothing, plowing over defenders and demanding the attention of several Irish every time they were tackled.
Wright, a Gridiron Glory Player of the Year finalist, totaled 150 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the night.
The Tomcats offense exploded in the second half, aided by a defense that recovered two fumbles. In addition to the two fumbles, Trimble also was able to secure their own kickoff after the Irish, unaware that a kickoff was a live ball, neglected to field the kick. Faires’ squad feasted off of the extra opportunities these turnovers afforded them, as all three ensuing offensive possessions ended with a touchdown.
Catholic Fischer’s season ends with a bright future ahead, as this was the first time the team had made the playoffs since 2006.
Meanwhile, Trimble looks on towards a second round game against the Canal Winchester Harvest Prep Warriors, who went undefeated in the regular season.