FOOTBALL: Troy rallies past Troy Athens to keep perfect season in tact
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
TROY — When things weren’t going Troy’s way, the Colts simply found another gear.
Troy kept its league title hopes alive Friday night by rallying for a 21-20 victory over host Troy Athens in OAA Blue Division play. The Colts put together two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter and reversed the trend after not scoring a single point on the Red Hawks the past three seasons.
Athens defeated Troy 31-0 in 2020, 42-0 in 2019 and 31-0 in 2018.
“We never had a doubt,” said senior running back Ethan Block, who has aided the Colts’ rebuild over the past two years. “We knew we screwed up a few times in the first half but we made some changes and we were able to come back. All the hard work we have put in (during) the offseason is paying off. It feels great to beat Athens because they beat us up the past couple of years.”
The Colts, who finished 0-9 just two short years ago, more than remembered those beatdowns.
Down 20-7 inside 11 minutes to play, Troy rediscovered its moxie down the stretch to prevail. The Colts put together a nine-play, 62-yard drive capped by Maxwell Stromberg’s 23-yard fade pass to Darius Whiteside with 7:26 to play to pull within one score at 20-14.
Troy got the ball back after an Athens punt and put together a swift seven-play, 42-yard drive with Stromberg scoring on a 2-yard plunge up the middle with 2:42 left. Junior kicker Zach Penoza split the uprights for the game-winning point.
Athens turned the ball over on downs with 1:12 to play and the Colts ran out the clock to move to 7-0 for the first time since 1998.
“It’s been a great week for Troy,” smiled Troy head coach Chris Frasier. “On Tuesday, our boys soccer team took care of business (against Athens). On Thursday our girls volleyball team also beat Athens. Our football team found a way to come back and get them tonight, too. What a week to be a Troy Colt.”
It was at the third straight loss for Athens (4-3, 4-3), which has a bye as of now in Week 8 before finishing with a road game at Auburn Hills Avondale in Week 9.
The Red Hawks scored twice in the second quarter. Trey Vincent scored on a 13-yard scamper around right with 11:52 left in the first half, and Ben Nast rushed to paydirt with a 14-yard run with 2:26 left in the second quarter. Ben Maher converted both first-half extra points for the 14-7 advantage.
The Red Hawks padded their lead when Evan Biber scored on a quarterback keeper with 3:53 remaining in the third stanza. The extra point was missed, leaving Athens holding a 20-7 lead.
Troy (7-0, 6-0) opened the scoring with 3:54 to go in the opening frame when Stromberg hooked up with Whiteside for a 3-yard scoring toss up the middle and Penoza nailed his first of three crucial extra points.
“Thee guys have bought in and have helped us have a great season so far,” said Frasier. “We have a bunch of hard working guys who do not quit. We never gave up and were able to come back and win this one.
“We did not score a point on them in three years,” reminded Frasier.
Stromberg finished 19-for-29 passing for 175 yards, two passing touchdowns and two interceptions for Troy. Ethan Block was a workhorse with 12 carries for 63 yards and five catches for 26 yards, while sophomore Nolan Block had 38 yards on 10 carries and nine catches for 58 yards for the Colts, who held a 284-251 edge on total yards.
Vincent had 81 yards on a workman-like 23 carries and Biber was 7-for-17 passing for 89 yards for Athens.
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