by Anthony Robinson

A week after the Trojans lost by a mere seven points to the Creston Panthers, Atlantic traveled to Glenwood to play the Rams. After trailing early, 7-0 , the Trojans scored 20 unanswered points to spoil homecoming night for the Rams.

The Trojans ended the game with 391 yards of offense (298 rushing). 

In the first two quarters of play Glenwood running back Levi Henderson carried the load for the Rams, rushing 15 times for 82 yards including the Rams’ only touchdown against the Trojan defense. The Trojans allowed 131 rushing yards in the first half.

“[In the] first half we were pretty sluggish, I give a lot of credit to Glenwood. I thought [Glenwood] came out and played well. They battled hard in that first half and they overcame plays where we had some opportunities and didn’t capitalize,” Coach Duff said following the game. 

The Trojans had something going on their first drive before throwing an interception giving the ball to the Rams.

Glenwood got the first points on the board after a 15-yard run by Henderson, after a 9 play, 76-yard drive, putting a damper in the Trojans sails.

In the second quarter, the Trojan offense responded with a 35-yard pass play from quarterback Harrison Hoegh to junior Sam Markham setting up a touchdown by senior Derek Stork for his first of two scores of the game, pulling the Trojans within a point. Markham missed the extra point.

The Rams led 7-6 at halftime.

The Rams opened up the second half with a 50-yard run, foreshadowing an erie second half for the Trojans. The Trojan defense stepped up stopping Glenwood on fourth down. “I think that was a big stand. That was probably the turning point of the second half,” Duff said.

The boys in white were unable to get anything going on their first drive giving the ball back to the Rams.

On the next Ram possession the Trojans forced Glenwood to punt, giving the ball back to the AHS offense inside Ram territory.

Atlantic got the ball into the endzone on a 45-yard run by sophomore Jake Dvorak, putting the Trojans up 13-7.

Dvorak ended the game with 172 yards (129 in second half) rushing on 18 carries. 

Just before the end of the third quarter, sophomore Sam Markham intercepted the ball and looked to have a “pick six,” but the return was brought back due to a block-in-the-back penalty. The Trojans came up empty on offense after Dvorak fumbled the ball into end zone. 

After an athletic catch over the middle by Dalton Franken on the next offense possession for the Trojans, the six foot five inch junior helped Stork get into the endzone with a great open-field block on the very next play.

The Trojans 20-7 lead stood tall as the Trojans forced another interception and held the Rams on fourth down twice late in the fourth.

After a rushing out-pour by Ram tailback Levi Henderson in the first half, the Trojans defense held him to only 50 yards in the second half.

“We played better in the second half, we established the line of scrimmage,” Duff said. “Defensively we started fitting the gaps and tackled better.”

“It wasn’t how we wanted to play, we thought we were pretty sloppy, but we’ve got to learn from it and move on. We’ve got to come out and play better against Harlan.”

 All week is homecoming week at AHS. The Trojans host Harlan for the homecoming football game Friday.

“I guess that’s why they have homecoming because there’s a football game,” Duff said.