Coaches don’t mind dealing with some adversity early in the football season. A lot of them will tell you it builds character.
It may be safe to say Trigg County coach Chris Ezell feels his team has plenty of character.
Trigg’s starting quarterback left the game early for the second straight year due to injury and for the second consecutive year, the Wildcats returned home from Barren County with a week two loss. This year’s score was 30-6.
After becoming what many think was the first freshman to run for 100 yards and throw for 100 yards in his first game at quarterback, Timmy Williams suffered a leg injury on the game’s fifth play and didn’t return. He was expected to be evaluated this week to determine a timeline for return.
Fellow freshman Caden Scott took over for Williams and later completed a pass off a fake punt to keep the opening drive alive before it stalled near midfield.
Scott was 10-of-28 passing for 79 yards. He wasn’t sacked and didn’t turn the football over.
Barren County, meanwhile, utilized the wing-T offense of first-year coach John Myers to the tune of 337 yards on 27 carries for a staggering 12.4 yards per carry.
The Trojans advanced to the Trigg 6-yard line on their opening drive but fumbled it away.
A mishandled punt snap by Trigg set up Barren’s first touchdown when three plays later, Bewley ran it in from 10 yards out with 20 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The Wildcats combined Scott and running back Davaree Gude at the quarterback spot in the second quarter, with Gude running from the Wildcat formation.
The combo worked as Trigg ran the final 14 plays of the first half and took 8:43 off the clock. However, Trigg was out of timeouts and Gude was stopped on a run at the Barren 6-yard line at the end of the half.
Gude ran for 86 yards on 11 carries but did not play in the second half due to reported heat illness.
Up 8-0 at halftime, Barren County responded out of the locker room with a pair of touchdowns on their first six plays.
Quarterback Tate Spillman scampered 15 yards for a touchdown with 9:15 left in the quarter. After a quick 3-and-out by Trigg, Davis took a misdirection 75 yards for a Barren County touchdown and 24-0 lead with 7:58 on the clock.
Barren added its fourth touchdown with 3:57 left on a 64-yard run by x.
Trigg County got on the board with 1:13 left when Scott connected with Peyton Williams on a 23-yard touchdown down the left sideline. It’s believed Scott is the first left-handed Trigg quarterback to throw a touchdown.
Barren County outgained Trigg 371-239 despite the Wildcats running 64 plays to Barren’s 31.
Myers, who coached at Monroe County from 2000-03 before leading Russellville to 21 playoff wins from 2004-17, improved to 8-1 all-time against Trigg County.
Friday’s game didn’t kick off until 8:40 due to the first game of the Trojan Trail Turf War between Warren East and Greenwood going long. The game ended around 11:45.
Trigg County (1-1) will host Fort Campbell in Friday’s home opener at Perdue Field.
BARREN COUNTY 30 TRIGG COUNTY 6
SCORING SUMMARY
BC – Brey Bewley 10-yard run (Tate Spillman run), :20, 1Q – BC 8 TC 0
BC – Spillman 15-yard run (Daylan Thomas run), 9:15, 3Q – BC 16 TC 0
BC – Jordan Harris 75-yard run (Thomas run), 7:58, 3Q – BC 24 TC 0
BC – Jaxson Byrd 64-yard run (Kick failed), 3:57, 4Q – BC 30 TC 6
TC – Peyton Williams 23-yard pass from Caded Scott (Run failed), 1:13, 4Q – BC 30 TC 6
GAME STATS
RUSHING
Trigg 34-158
Barren 27-337
PASSING
Trigg 12-30-0, 87 yards
Barren 2-4-0, 34 yards
TOTAL YARDS
Trigg 245
Barren 371
FIRST DOWNS
Trigg 18
Barren 16
PENALTIES
Trigg 7-58
Barren 10-105
PUNTS
Trigg 4-33.0
Barren 2-34.5
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS
Trigg 5/15
Barren 1/3
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS
Trigg 4/6
Barren 0/0
TIME OF POSSESSION
Trigg 30:35
Barren 17:25
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING – Trigg – Gude 11-86; Bridges 15-57; Alexander 3-19; T. Williams 3-18; P. Williams 1-(-5); Carter 1-(-17)
Barren – Harris 5-161; Thomas 7-78; Byrd 1-64; Kerney 7-19; Bewley 1-10; Wells 1-7; Spillman 5 (-2)
PASSING – Trigg – Scott 10-28, 79 yards; T. Williams 2-2, 8 yards
Barren – Spillman 2-4, 34 yards
RECEIVING – Trigg – P. Williams 4-31; Bridges 4-16; Greenwood 1-17; Renfroe 2-17; Bellows 1-6
Barren – Byrd 2-34
