Turning point: Trinity converts turnover into a 96-yard TD and another state title
In the span of less than a minute, the Trinity Shamrocks not only turned backed Male’s shot to get back into the state tile game, they also slammed the door.
Seconds after Trinity’s Chris Forehand intercepted the ball on the Rocks’ own 3-yard line, Rocks quarterback Nathan McElroy stood 3 yards deep in his own end zone and hit Ryan Miller up the middle and watched his senior wideout sprint away for a 96-yard touchdown for a 21-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.
“The safety just kind of sat there and I threw it to the fast kid over the top and he scored,” McElroy said of the play, which he celebrated with his offensive line as Miller disappeared in the distance. “I have the best offensive line in the state, and they’ve been up to the job this entire year. No sacks today. It was great.”
The Rocks would tack on another score for a 28-6 victory and the school’s 26th state title Sunday in the UK Orthopaedics/KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl Class 6A Championship at Kroger Field.
Running back Brad West, who led the Rocks with 189 yards rushing, including a 9-yard TD that put Trinity up by two scores early in the third quarter, was named the game’s most valuable player.
“I think I came in with a chip on my shoulder, because the last time we played Male, I didn’t get to play because I had a broken hand,” West said. “I’ve been waiting for this game ever since.”
The victory ended Male’s three-game win streak over Trinity, which included the state semifinals last year and a double-overtime game earlier this season.
“Everyone wants to talk revenge and all that,” Trinity Coach Bob Beatty said. “But revenge doesn’t tackle. Revenge doesn’t block. But I think what it does, it makes you hungry. And we had a bunch of hungry kids. They were chomping at the bit to play today, and they did a great job.”
Male responded to West’s third quarter TD with a quick five-play drive capped by VJ Anthony TD catch from Elijah Parish to cut the lead to 14-6 midway through the third. The Bulldogs then got a 23-yard fumble return on Trinity’s next possession and looked to be driving for a potential tying score before Parish’s second interception.
While the big touchdown play will certainly be talked about, Trinity’s defense probably played the biggest role Sunday, holding Male to 150 yards of offense and six points while picking off Parish twice.
The first interception broke a scoreless tie deep into the second quarter after both teams had advanced into each other’s red zone in the first half only to come up empty with Trinity missing an early field-goal attempt and Male turning it over on downs deep in Rocks territory.
But later, with Male facing a third down and 15 on its own 8-yard line, Trinity’s Branden Stearman stepped in front of a pass over the middle and returned it 13 yards for the opening score with 2:49 left in the second quarter.
“The interception for a touchdown was a big momentum (boost),” Beatty said. “That just took the ice off our offense … We made some offensive adjustments at halftime. Those were the ones we went with and they worked. And the defense just played solid the entire game.”
This story was originally published December 8, 2019 at 5:48 PM.
