Trinity football entered week seven with a 5-1 record and kicked off their home game against Centre College on Oct. 25. The Tigers followed up their largest margin of victory of the season against Rhodes College last week with their narrowest this year, grazing past the Colonels 19-14.
The Tigers came up short of scoring on their first two drives of the first quarter after missing a field goal attempt and being forced to punt. Sophomore defensive linebacker Dorien Hill shared a tackle with junior defensive back Anthony Njoku to end Centre’s second drive of the day.
“Just coming together on the defense, we set a standard with ourselves every week in and out,” Hill said. “Just coming out here, when our team of the back is on us. So, coming out here and just making plays standing together. [We] make sure we don’t get big-headed out here when [the game] gets close [and] don’t even get big-eyed. Just go out there and do what we do best.”
Sophomore quarterback Hondo Franklin led the Tiger offense on the following drive with a touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Alajandro Tavarez late in the first quarter, putting the Tigers ahead 7-0. Tavarez is the receiving leader for the Tigers with 586 yards and eight touchdown receptions. Tavarez credited his performance throughout the season to his teammates.
“Playmakers make plays, but I obviously couldn’t do it without anybody else on the team,” Tavarez said. “I don’t get open for no reason. For route combinations, get people open. Our line holds, obviously, the defense for our QB, and then obviously it’s up to Hondo to get the ball out there. So, it’s not just me.”
Trinity’s early advantage was short-lived. Junior Centre wide receiver Cree Ross returned the Tigers’ kickoff for a 93-yard touchdown on the next play, swiftly tying the game 7-7.
A Trinity field goal opened the second quarter to place themselves back ahead 10-7. The Tigers’ following drive followed with Franklin throwing an interception. The Tiger defense prevented Centre from cashing in on the turnover as sophomore defensive lineman Azriel Ngatcha recovered senior Centre quarterback Jack Gohmann’s fumble, returning possession to Trinity. The Tigers entered halftime leading 10-7 in a one-possession game.
To open the third quarter, Franklin escaped a sack with a rushing touchdown, capping the Tigers’ first drive of the second half to extend their lead to 17-7. Trinity’s offense then punted for their last five consecutive drives, unable to add to their advantage.
Centre’s offense stalled in their last two drives of the third quarter with a missed field goal and a thrown interception. Centre’s defense delivered another opportunity to their offense to open the fourth quarter, however, by stopping Trinity’s opening drive with a three-and-out. Gohmann narrowed Trinity’s lead 17-14 with a touchdown pass to Centre sophomore wide receiver Luke Sasser.
The Tigers’ defense stepped up within the closing minutes of the game with sophomore defensive tackle Jackson Priesmeyer and fifth-year defensive lineman Jonathan Nwobodo splitting a sack for a safety, solidifying Trinity’s victory 19-14.
“We made sure that if we got them in the red zone, that we were going to get after their a–,” Nwobodo said of the moments that led up to the play. “We’re going to make sure we read our keys, play regular [and] do our thing. So, it was just a great team play, and it happened.”
As Nwobodo is a fifth-year student athlete, he said that he’s told his underclassmen teammates to stay focused. He acknowledged Trinity’s academic rigor, saying how hard it is to stay focused on the game alongside with their studies.
“I just try to reiterate to them, focus on one thing at a time every day,” Nwobodo said. “Focus on one thing that you need to get better at. I’ve just been reiterating that over and over again because that’s the most important thing to do.”
The Tigers improved their season record to 6-1 overall and currently sit at third place in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) conference standings at 3-1 behind Berry College (4-0) and Maryville College (3-1). Trinity football looks to extend their winning streak against the University of the South (Sewanee) on the road on Nov. 1.
