Monday, October 24, 2005

Troy 17 Trotwood Madison 6

This is Trojan football. A cold and rainy night, a wet and muddy field, and Troy's straight-ahead power running game works its magic. Troy's fullback Daniel McCormick, who has carried the load throughout the year, did so again on Friday night. He carried the ball 27 times for 161 yards and a touchdown--the touchdown gave Troy the final nine-point margin of victory, and the 161 yards took him over 1,000 for the season. The 1,000-yard club is the most prestigious status a Trojan football player can attain, and McCormick is the 26th player to reach that mark for the Trojans.

Unfortunately, not too many people saw him accomplish that feat (which happened in the first quarter), and even fewer stuck around to see the Trojans seal the win. If the cold and wet is a formula that helps the Trojan offense to work, it's also one that keeps the fans at home, listening to the game on the radio rather than coming out to the stadium to watch the game in person. I could have counted the Trotwood fans if I had cared to; Troy had a fairly solid crowd, but nothing near what we're used to.

There's likely only one game left for the Trojans. This Friday will be Senior Night at Troy Memorial Stadium, which will host a crucial game against the Northmont Thunderbolts. A Troy win would clinch a share of the GWOC West championship and would keep playoff dreams alive. The Trojans would need some help to get in, but they haven't been mathematically eliminated, so the flame of hope still burns. Another rainy night would help, giving some assistance to Troy's style of play while putting a damper on Northmont's finesse spread offense. One way or another, it'll be a hell of a game.

No comments: