Nine touchdowns, a run-limiting defense and another physical performance by the offensive line, all products of a week’s worth of hard work, led to a 64-34 Trojan defeat of Marshall.
“(Friday) night was a big night for our team, program – everything,” Head Coach Jim Crowder said.
The offense, as usual, was clicking and Crowder said much of the unit’s success points toward quarterback Nathan Taylor.
“Let me say this,” Crowder began, “...when I tell you that I would not trade (Taylor) as my quarterback for anybody, I mean that. I would not trade him for anybody.
“He does a great job for us.”
The Taylor-led offense scored 43 points going into halftime. Crowder said Taylor and running backs Wykeese Johnson and Pacey Thomspon “ran for a ton.” He also noted the significant role wide receiver Ethan Ables played.
“He’s a crucial part of our run game,” Crowder said. “We try to get the ball in his hands and he did a great job with it.”
At halftime Crowder and his assistants emphasized the need for the defense to continue tackling well and be effective on early downs and give the Trojans the opportunity to their two-high safety look.
It worked.
The offensive linemen, many of whom play both ways for the 20-man squad, sustained their effort, and the running game rolled on.
“You can’t run the ball like we run it – even though we’ve got some great running backs – you can’t have the success we have running it without a good offensive line,” Crowder said.
The Trojans scored on the opening possession of the second half and followed that with a “huge” defensive stop. That additional space allowed the running game to chew up the clock and limit Marshall’s second-half possesions, which created leverage and eventually the victory.
Increasing Ables and Taylor’s carries in the second half also served to keep the ground game fresh.
“We’ve developed an identity of running the football at this point,” Crowder said. “We were going to come out and run the football and we were able to.”
Fullback and defensive end Wes Hudson filled in at center and performed “admirably.” He was replaced in the backfield by Peyton Killebrew, who was effective.
“‘Our kids, they don’t question, they go out and do whatever we ask them to do,” Crowder said.
“They don’t point fingers, they have each others’ back, they rally around each other. That’s the attitude great football teams have.
“It’s a credit to our kids, they’ve worked hard, and it showed on Friday night.”
CHCS next game is at home against Hatley. Game time is 7 p.m..
