Trojans Fall to Nationally Ranked Bulldogs - 43-7

Trojans Fall to Nationally Ranked Bulldogs, 43-7

By Mark H. Stowers

Another week in the MACCC, another nationally ranked opponent on the schedule. The Trojans hosted their first home game of the season at Jim Randall Stadium with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Bulldogs, ranked #6 in the NJCAA. The results were a loss for the Trojans, falling 43-7. The Bulldogs improved to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in MACCC while the Trojans fell to 0-2 and 0-2 in the MACCC. The Bulldogs opened the game with a scoring drive and added another to make it 14-0 after one quarter.

The Trojans got on the board in the second quarter with a three-play, 56-yard drive as sophomore QB Troy Griffin hit Daniel Hall with a 39-yard TD pass. Connor Mullins PAT was good.

The Trojan offense was pinned deep on their next drive and the Bulldogs forced a safety tackling MDCC running back Davion Alston in the end zone. MGCCC added another touchdown before halftime to lead 23-7. The Trojans couldn’t break the vaunted Bulldog defense as they only gained 99 yards on the night while giving up 20 more points in the second half for the 43-7 loss. Trojan Head Coach Tavares Johnson is looking for a healthy quarterback after the game.

“We’ve got all three quarterbacks in concussion protocol this week. I’ll know more on Tuesday after talking to the doctor,” Coach Johnson said.

Running back Davion Alston took some snaps in the game and has been working as a backup if needed.

After the first two scores by the Bulldogs, the Trojans settled in.

“We didn't help them out much in the offense but I guess their defense had a lot to say about that. It was one of the better ones we've seen. And we didn't handle them like we wanted to. They caused a breakdown of some different things,” Coach Johnson said.

The Trojans were outmanned but hung in as long as they could.

“We wore down. I’ve got to get some more scholarships in to give me some more people. Some more bodies. We ran out of bodies,” he explained.

Even with two losses to nationally ranked opponents, Coach Johnson sees improvement in his squad.

“We played two of the better teams in the nation. I told the young guys, there ain't nothing to hold their heads down about. If you've got to look at some positive things, we were able to go toe to toe for a period of time with them. And then we've got to just eliminate these mistakes and hopefully, these games have matured us and grown us up some. We were able to accomplish things, that's what it's all about,” he said.

Up next, the Northeast Tigers come to town, sitting 1-1 on the season and not ranked.

“They normally are decent. A pretty good team. It's just a wide-open league from the teams up top, to the teams in the middle, to the teams below. Once you get past what I call the blue bloods, I think it's anybody's ballgame,” he said.

Coach Johnson noted that most offenses in the league are running the same schemes and he’s working both sides of the ball to get the Trojans ready. And even with two tough losses, no one is throwing in the towel on the young season.

“We're just going to keep the top of the world above us. That's all we can do. I our guys, it's too early to quit because you should never quit. And it's too early to abandon what we're doing. We've got to use these games for what they were. And then, you know, as you learn from them, you get better and move forward.”

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