Elks Use Big Second Half to Slip by Tigers

Elkhart Defeats Trinity, 41-20

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

TRINITY – The Elkhart Elks hit the road last Friday night as they traveled to Trinity for a District 11-3A DI contest against the Tigers.

The Elks came into the game with an overall record of 4-2 and a district mark of 1-1. The Tigers, on the other hand, have struggled all year. Coming into the game, Trinity had an overall mark of 0-6 and sat at 0-2 in district.

It was Homecoming in Trinity and through the first half of play, it looked like the Tigers might pick up their first victory of the season. Unfortunately for the home team, there were two halves to the game and the Elks galloped past the Tigers in the second half to win, 41-20.

The game started relatively slowly as the Elks scored the first quarter’s only points on a four-yard TD plunge from RJ Moore. The extra point attempt was good and the Elks led 7-0 after the first 12 minutes of play.

Elkhart got its second touchdown of the game as the second quarter got underway when Elk QB Cade Starr connected with Richard Carrillo on an eight-yard slant for six to push the Elkhart lead out to 13-0.

It was at this point of the game when the Tigers’ offense woke up as they rattled off 20 unanswered points to take a 20-13 lead.

First, Treylin Goodman scored from 58 yards out to cut into the Elkhart margin. The extra point from Fidencio Ruiz was good and the Tigers now trailed 13-7.

The next time Trinity got the ball, the Tigers drove into the Elkhart red zone. From there, it was Goodman – once again – as he sliced his way into the end zone from 14 yards out to tie the game at 13. The try for two was unsuccessful.

The Elks were stymied on their next possession and turned the ball over to the Tigers, once again – and once again – Goodman stole the show. This time he broke free on a 77-yard scoring romp to give Trinity its first lead of the game. The Ruiz PAT made the score 20-13 with time winding down in the first half.

With the clock working against them, the Elks maneuvered their way down the field and into the Trinity red zone. Head Coach Jason Fiacco dialed up a play that has worked a time or two this year as Starr dropped back to pass and found his big tight end – Ky Thomas – in the back of the end zone for six. The conversion attempt was good and at the end of the half, the game was tied at 20.

When the two teams returned to the field after the halftime festivities, it seemed as if the Homecoming activities had sapped the Tigers stamina.

The Elks began to pull away from Trinity as the second half began. The two teams battled to a stalemate on the scoreboard during third quarter action until Moore plowed his way over the goal line for his second touchdown of the night. The extra point made the score 27-20 and the Elks never looked back.

Elkhart added two more TDs in the fourth quarter on a 43-yard pass from Starr to Messiah Birdow and Moore’s third touchdown of the game to make the final score 41-20.

The Elks return home this Friday to Jerry Ives Memorial Stadium where they will host the undefeated and #6 ranked Diboll Lumberjacks. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].