Special teams miscues doom Frederick Douglass in Class 6A football semifinals
To beat Louisville’s Trinity Shamrocks, the 28-time state champions, an opponent has to play an almost perfect game and get a couple of breaks.
Unfortunately for Frederick Douglass on a cold, windy Friday in Louisville, the breaks went against the Broncos in their 17-0 Class 6A state semifinals loss. And it happened quickly.
With Douglass backed deep into its own end of the field on its third possession of the game, Trinity blocked a punt and recovered it on the Broncos’ 8-yard line.
Three plays later, Jeremiah Lynn took a handoff from Trinity quarterback Zane Johnson and, instead of turning upfield, he tossed a 7-yard TD pass to Jason Hagan in the back right corner of the end zone to help put the Shamrocks up 10-0 with 6:44 to go in the first half.
On the ensuing kickoff, a Douglass returner mishandled Trinity’s high, short kick and fumbled it back to the Rocks on the Broncos’ 37-yard line. On the very next play Johnson found Hagan with a deep ball for the receiver’s second TD in eight seconds. The extra point gave Trinity a 17-0 lead it maintained the rest of the way. Trinity’s Carson Hilbert had nailed a 48-yard field goal on its first drive of the game.
“You can’t give them two possessions like that. That’s the difference in the game,” Douglass coach Nathan McPeek said. “I thought our defense played really well and did a lot of great things.”
Douglass held Trinity to 119 total yards, including just 42 yards rushing. They got a second-half interception by linebacker Logan Busson. But like their 23-13 regular season loss to Trinity at the beginning of the season, the Broncos gave the Rocks short fields for its scoring drives.
“As anemic as we were offensively — credit to Frederick Douglass, that’s been a great defense all year. We knew we were going to get that type of game,” Trinity coach Jay Cobb said. “When they’re able to get that extra guy in the box, it’s tough if you’re not throwing it and catching it well.”
On Trinity’s first touchdown, Douglass stuffed the Rocks’ first two run plays. Cobb acknowledged his staff planned the halfback option pass for just that occasion.
“We have been sitting on it a little while if you want to know the truth,” Cobb said.
Trinity’s defense proved just as stout as its Lexington foe, scattering the Broncos’ 108 yards rushing and 37 yards passing over a frustrating four quarters. Trinity ended Douglass’ last two drives with interceptions. It was Trinity’s sixth shutout in its last seven games.
“If we can’t run the football and win in the box, it’s really hard for us,” McPeek said. “We did the best we could, and I’m proud of this team. We went about as far as you can. Obviously, though, we’re one game short.”
After winning the Class 5A state championship in 2022, Douglass has hit a roadblock named Trinity after its move up to Class 6A for the last two years, despite earning its sixth straight regional championship.
“We’ve got to figure out a way of scoring some points against them,” McPeek said. “We’ve got to figure that out moving forward. They’re not going away. And I don’t feel like we are either.”
Class 6A state championship
Ryle vs. Trinity
When: 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7
Where: Kroger Field in Lexington
Records: Ryle 12-2, Trinity 12-2
This story was originally published November 30, 2024 at 9:13 AM.
