CENTERBURG — Despite the dew-covered field and the cold fog rolling in, the Centerburg Trojans picked up right where they left off in the regular season and took out the Ridgewood Generals 28-14 in their postseason opener on Friday night.
Coach Andy Colella said he knew it wasn’t going to be pretty, but at this point in the season, the goal was simply “to advance to the next week.”
“That’s a really good football team. We had to shake off the rust after not playing for two weeks, just super proud of the kids,” Colella said.
Junior running back Miles Marshall stepped up big for his team, scoring four touchdowns in a slightly different way than he normally does.
During the regular season, Marshall’s game-wrecking ability and explosiveness often scored points for the Trojans. But with a tougher Ridgewood defense stuffing the run game early, Marshall quickly adjusted.
“It wasn’t, and we knew it wasn’t going to be, the explosive plays down the field like we’ve been getting [with Marshall],” Colella said. “It’s tough yards, but you just keep grinding it out, be patient and things are eventually going to happen.
“We had some long drives, long sustained drives, which were really nice. Really hadn’t done that all year, so to be able to come out here and do that against them was really a positive.”
The Trojans will have another home playoff game next week as they host the Colonel Crawford Eagles.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge,” the coach said.
How the Trojans took care of business
Some stout Generals’ defensive plays forced the Trojans to punt on their opening drive, causing many to look at one another with a little confusion.
Thanks to junior running back Bryce Tolliver’s efforts, things were looking good for Ridgewood as they kept the ball moving in the run game all the way to the end zone.
An extra point later, and the Generals were in front first.
Answering quickly, Trojan senior quarterback Blane Ball connected with senior receiver Hayden Love on a deep ball to get the offense inside the red zone.
Miles Marshall juked through defenders on the very next play to get his first touchdown and the ensuing two-point conversion.
Trojan star Jackson Ballinger got active in the pass rush on the next Generals’ possession, forcing a punt that set up another Marshall touchdown a few plays later.
Marshall’s second touchdown, but a missed two-pointer this time around, left the score at 14-7.
A would-be third Marshall touchdown got called back due to a penalty, and Ball couldn’t pass the sticks on fourth-and-two.
The fourth-down stop proved to be what the Generals needed as they set up a flea-flicker trick play that had junior running back Maverick Lockard rifle a 69-yard touchdown pass to senior running back Talon Carns.
An extra point kick tied things up with 4:05 to go in the first half, but it would be the last time the Generals would score.
Just three minutes later, Marshall had a touchdown hat trick in the first half. Another failed conversion made it 20-14.
Trojans close things out
The third quarter was a defensive masterpiece from both teams, as neither team scored.
Senior Jace McQueen had a nice tip drill interception for Ridgewood in the third quarter.
Ballinger rewarded that interception with a big tackle for loss on a reverse play and then followed that by batting down a ball at the line to force a Generals’ punt.
Evidently, Ball had had enough of the no points thing and ripped off a big designed run to the Generals’ 16-yard line.
Death, taxes and Miles Marshall running in touchdowns from inside the 15-yard line; some things in life are just inevitable.
Oh, and he got the important two-pointer to go with his touchdown.
It was his fourth touchdown of the game and ended up being his last one of a stellar playoff performance.
