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by Anthony Robinson
For the second consecutive week, the Trojan football team had a chance to win the game with less than three minutes to play. The Trojans took over on the Creston 15 with 1:53 remaining and no timeouts Friday night, trailing 20-27.
On the first set of downs, the Panthers were called for a pass interference, giving the Trojans a first down. Senior-leader Derek Stork converted a fourth and one on a run up the middle, giving the Trojans life at midfield with less than a minute remaining. The Trojans achieved another first down on a simple out route to Dalton Franken.
With three seconds remaining, the Trojans had the ball third and 16 from midfield with one final shot at the endzone. The Panther defensive line was in the backfield before Harrison Hoegh was able to find any open reciever. Hoegh hit the turf and the ball was batted into the air, ending the game.
The Panther defense held the Trojans to only 61 yards running. The Trojans’ offensive line had troubles all night blocking the big Creston defensive line.
“When it mattered, their defensive line caused problems for us. Our running game was non-exsitent. (The game) is won and lost in the trenches,” head coach Tim Duff said after the game.
With the loss, Atlantic fell to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in District 1 play.
The Trojans started strong. Fewer than four minutes into the game, Hoegh found Franken for a 20-yard touchdown giving the Trojans a 7-0 lead for the second time in as many home games.
Sam Markham would kick a 30-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10 with less than a minute to go in the first quarter.
On the first play of the next possession by the Panthers, junior quarterback Luke Neitzel showed his explosiveness, taking the quarterback read 55 yards for the touchdown.
Neitzel ended the game with 158 yards rushing (one TD), and 123 yards passing (3 TDs).
The Panthers missed a field goal before taking the lead on a 35-yard pass play. The extra point was blocked by Stork, holding the Creston lead to only a field goal, 13-10.
Markham then kicked another field goal just before the half, this time from 38 yards, to tie the game at 13 headed to the locker room.
Derek Stork cleanly strips the ball from the Creston quarterback.
On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Stork stripped the ball cleanly out of Neitzel’s hands. The Trojans recoved the fumble and had a chance to take the lead.
Hoegh found Markham in the back right corner of the endzone for an 18-yard touchdown pass, giving the Trojans a 20-13 lead with 8:14 remaining in the third.
The Trojans then held the Panthers on fourth down deep in their own territory, but the punt turned out to be a nightmare for the Trojans.
Junior Kray Lukehart tried to catch the ball on a bounce, but did not field it cleanly. The Panthers pounced on it. Creston now had a first and 10 inside the Trojans’ red zone.
Creston would score on a nine-yard pass, tying the game at 20 with four minutes remaining in the third.
With 10:02 left in the final quarter, the Panthers scored the go-ahead touchdown on a fourth down and two to go on the Trojans’ 29.
“We didn’t do enough to overcome the flow of the game,” Duff said, “They made plays. All we can do is look at the things we need to improve and get better.”
The Trojans travel to Glenwood next week before returning home for homecoming against the Harlan Cyclones, Sept. 30.
