Box Score
BOX SCORE
One Tiger team walked away from McGee Field this afternoon with their first conference victory. Unfortunately for Sewanee, it was the Tigers of Trinity University who claimed the win. The two teams battled throughout the entire sixty minutes of play, and were separated by just seven points with less than five minutes left, but Trinity prevailed 17-3.
The Texas Tigers started things off on the first series of the game with a 35-yard kickoff return by senior wide receiver Caleb Urban. Urban's return set the visitors up at their own 47-yard line, and the Tigers were able to travel to the Sewanee 26-yard line in ten plays before being held to a field goal attempt. Garrett Biel notched a 36-yarder to make it 3-0 Trinity just over four minutes into the contest.
Sewanee was forced to punt on their first drive, but the hometown Tigers forced Trinity to punt on their ensuing drive as well. Sewanee freshman Chad Morehead (Heflin, Ala., Cleburne County) returned Kyle Trella's punt 43 yards, and despite an illegal block called on Sewanee, the purple Tigers started their drive at the Trinity 36. Trinity managed to hold the hosts and Sewanee was forced to attempt a 30-yard field goal. Sophomore kicker Trey Knighton (Arab, Ala., Arab) converted, and with 2:54 left in the first half, the two Tiger teams were knotted at three apiece.
The purple Tigers found a bright spot on the following Trinity possession. Junior defensive back Alfonza Knight (Nashville, Tenn., M.B.A.) picked off Trinity quarterback Nykolas McKissic at the Sewanee ten-yard line and returned the interception 15 yards to the Sewanee 25. But Sewanee was unable to convert on the turnover, as they were forced into a three and out by the visitors. Punter Geoffrey Marolda's (Houston, Tex., Houston Episcopal) punt set the Trinity Tigers up at their own 26-yard line. The visitors needed only five plays before McKissic connected with Urban for a 40-yard passing touchdown to put Trinity ahead 10-3.
The two Tiger teams traded punts following Urban's touchdown. Following a second Sewanee punt, the Trinity Tigers were at the Sewanee 37-yard line and driving when McKissic completed a pass to wide receiver Cory Scherr. Scherr fumbled the ball and Knight picked up his second turnover recovery of the day when he recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchback. But the home Tigers were once again unable to capitalize on the turnover and were forced to punt after covering just one yard in four plays.
Biel attempted a 51-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, but kicked it short, and the Trinity Tigers headed into the locker room holding onto a 10-3 lead.
Coming out of the locker room, each Tiger team accounted for one drive that ended in a punt. On Sewanee's second drive of the half, the host Tigers moved the ball 40 yards in 11 plays and had an opportunity to make it 10-6. But Knighton's 26-yard field goal attempt missed wide right and Trinity took over at their own 20. The visitors ran two plays before Sewanee's J.D. Crabtree (Tullahoma, Tenn., Tullahoma) intercepted McKissic and set the Tigers up at their own 39-yard line. Once again though, Sewanee was unable to capitalize, as the Tigers were forced into a punt on the ensuing drive.
Trinity took over at their own 27-yard line and started a wild, penalty-filled drive. On third and twelve, McKissic was sacked for a loss of four yards but Sewanee was hit with a face-mask penalty that awarded Trinity an automatic first down. Seven plays later, Trinity found themselves facing fourth and 23 and Biel was set up to attempt a 42-yard Trinity field goal. He missed short, but Sewanee was again hit with a penalty, this time a personal foul that gave Trinity an automatic first down at the Sewanee 11-yard line. Trinity followed that up with four plays and three penalties, including a personal foul, holding, and an illegal block, before setting up for yet another Biel field goal attempt, this time a 27-yarder. Biel missed again, and Sewanee narrowly escaped, as Trinity clung to a 10-3 lead with just 8:49 left in the fourth quarter. The Trinity drive ate up over nine minutes of the clock.
After the missed field goal, Sewanee and Trinity once again traded punts. After the Trinity punt, Sewanee took possession at their own six-yard line. Tiger quarterback Lee Schurlknight (Darlington, S.C., Byrnes Academy) threw two incomplete passes before being sacked at the Sewanee two-yard line. Schurlknight fumbled and Trinity's Garrett VanDyke fell on the ball in the end zone for the Trinity touchdown. VanDyke's touchdown made it 17-3 in favor of the guests.
Sewanee was never able to recover after the touchdown and the visiting Trinity Tigers picked up their first SCAC win of the season, 17-3.
Sewanee accumulated 138 yards of total offense on the afternoon, 82 of which were passing yards. Trinity netted 344 yards of offense on 175 passing yards and 169 rushing yards. The Trinity Tigers held the edge in first downs, 17-8. Zeke Wilson (Snellville, Ga., George Walton Academy) led Sewanee's rushing attack with 46 yards on 17 attempts. Schurlknight finished the day 10 of 25 passing with no interceptions for 82 yards. Morehead led the Tiger receiving corps with 39 yards.
Zac Atkins (Dallas, Tex., Lake Highlands) paced the Tiger defense with 15 tackles and a sack. Knight finished the day with 14 tackles, one fumble recovery, and one interception. Andrew Walters (Madison, Ala., Bob Jones) added seven tackles in the effort.
Head Coach Robert Black knew the Tigers had some opportunities to win today, but fell just short: “We played a good Trinity team today and had opportunities to win the game. Defensively, we corrected our mistakes from the week before and created crucial turnovers. And despite some really crucial calls that went against us, our defense responded with some huge stops. Our offense settled down in the second half and moved the ball efficiently. We know we have to get some points on the board though. We had a great opportunity to get the game to 10-6 in the fourth quarter but just came up short. This team played their hearts out,” he said. “At the end of the game, somebody has to win and somebody has to lose. I know this team will respond this week and be ready to play in Birmingham.”
The Tigers fall to 1-6 on the season and 0-4 in SCAC play. Trinity moves to 3-3 on the year and 1-2 in conference play. Sewanee returns to action next weekend when they travel to Birmingham-Southern College, who defeated Austin College 44-21 today.