2 weeks Ago By By James Cook [email protected]
TRAVERSE CITY — The official TC Patriot Game shirts displayed an American flag on the back and the words, “Always remember.” Traverse City West players made something more to remember with a 23-7 victory in Friday’s Saginaw Valley League-Blue Division game at Thirlby Field in Traverse City. The Titans hoisted the Nowak-Olson Trophy for the second consecutive year after the 13th TC Patriot Game and 30th all-time meeting between West and Central.
A huge fourth-quarter safety by senior linebacker Carson Toothman and junior defensive lineman Jackson Gallagher propelled West to the victory. “That was the difference in the ball game,” TC West second-year head coach James Wagner said. “It was just a game-changing play.
It was the difference in the ball game. Hats off to those kids. Just relentless pursuit.
Not giving up on the play and good coverage leads to a good sack.” West (6-3, 4-2 SVL-Blue) ends the regular season on a three-game winning streak, assuring a playoff appearance next week, likely against No. 2-ranked Muskegon Mona Shores (8-1) on the road.
“Our team has built so much in the past few years, going from middle school not winning anything to now going to playoffs,” said West senior right guard Roman Leask, whose helmet had paint chipping off and the Titan decal holding on by a thread from collisions. “Freshman year, they went to playoffs. It got our team so hype, and it’s great to just see that we can make it to the playoffs again and see where it takes us.
We’re ready. They better be ready, too.” Toothman and Gallagher combined on a sack of Central sophomore quarterback Isaac Turnwald for the safety to give the Titans a 9-7 lead on the fourth quarter’s first snap.
“I saw Gally already rushing to the outside,” Toothman said. “I saw him rolling out, and I just shot toward the quarterback. Shout out to our DBs, they had great coverage.
Without them, we wouldn’t be able to get it. Our D-line are some dogs, linebackers, dogs. DBs, dogs.
It’s a great defense, man.” That play turned the game’s momentum after the Trojans (4-5, 3-3 SVL-Blue) tied the contest in the third quarter. A Drew Esper punt rolled to the Central half-yard-line to put the Trojans up against their own end zone.
“It’s really thanks to our corners,” Gallagher said. “They had the quarterback bouncing around looking for an opening to throw, and me and Toothman, we were right there — both got him in the end zone.” Owen Hendrix hit a leaping Esper on a fade route in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown with 7:10 to play on the ensuing possession to lead 16-7.
Central outgained West 274-215, with Turnwald throwing for 212 yards and Scotty Goodwin accounting for 146 of that. Aiden Griffis ended a prime Central first-half scoring threat with an interception inside the 5-yard line off a deflection inside four minutes before halftime. The Titans also survived a 4th-and-3 attempt from the 8-yard line, forcing an incompletion eight seconds before half.
“I really go back to the first half, we had a chance to score before halftime and get momentum,” Trojans head coach Eric Schugars said. “We’ve needed momentum all year from our offense, and our offense sputtered. Our defense stopped them again, and then our offense got the ball back and scored.
Our defense had what we needed, and then we just couldn’t get over the hump.” West scored on a Hendrix 3-yard rushing TD with 57 seconds left and a 23-7 lead. “I watched that team, Owen Hendrix and the seniors, all year step up for them,” Schugars said.
“They did that again tonight for them. We were close. We had opportunities.
Our defensive coordinator, Todd Tester, he’s been great. He did a phenomenal job again tonight. Our defense played sound until we just wore down.
” The Titans ran Hendrix — who came in leading entire SVL in rushing TDs (tied with Davison’s AJ Hill at 11) — on every snap of the seven-play drive. “We needed to score and continue to play, and we did. Got the job done,” Wagner said.
“What a statement. That drive there to run Owen down the field, the same play all the way down the field and just pound it down their throat.” West junior Cam Mienk leapt into the end zone 5:46 before halftime, with Trapper Holmes booting the extra point for the first half’s only score.
“It’s just setting the tone for the next few years,” Gallagher said. “It’s bright things here at West.” Both bands played halftime, combining with Grand Traverse Pipes & Drums for a stirring rendition of “Amazing Grace.
” West moved into a second-place tie with Midland Dow in the SVL-Blue. “Hats off to the seniors and the coaches,” Wagner said. “They have done such a good job of buying in.
They’ve worked so hard to get to this. They could have folded when we went, 0-3 in that middle run. I said, ‘Hey, we have to win out, and you guys have to put your feet in the ground and dig in.
” TC Central had won four straight before West’s 17-8 win last year..
