ACKERMAN – The New Hope Trojans had what head coach Allen Glenn said was an “inconvenient night” for his team, taking a 45-20 loss to the Choctaw County Chargers.
The Trojans were able to limit Mississippi’s top player in wide receiver Caleb Cunningham, so the Chargers’ run game did damage to the Trojans. Glenn called that “picking his poison.”
The Trojans shadowed Cunningham, keeping the ball out of his hands, but that intense focus allowed Jeramiah Miller to rush for 179 yards and three touchdowns.
The Chargers struck first, just over three minutes into the game, when Charger quarterback KJ Cork hit Chancen Mosely on a wheel route for a 30-yard touchdown. After missing the PAT, the Chargers scored again when Cork crossed the goal line on a quarterback sneak. The Chargers led 12-0 after one quarter and did not stop there.
Just a minute into the second quarter, Miller took off for a 20-yard touchdown run, putting his team ahead 19-0. On the following drive, Trojan quarterback Tyrekus Brooks threw an interception that was returned 55 yards for a touchdown, giving the Chargers a 25-0 lead. The Trojans were finally able to get on the board when Cameron Mitchell returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown.
Just a few seconds later, Miller raced in for a 60-yard touchdown, crushing the Trojans’ spirits. When the Chargers got the ball back, Cunningham appeared, scoring from 30 yards out. Miller would later score from 13 yards out to give the Chargers a 45-7 lead at halftime.
With a running clock in the second half, the Trojans were able to make some big plays offensively. Joshua “Juice” Tate took off for a 49-yard touchdown run to make it a 45-14 ball game. The Trojans then made a defensive stop before Tate hit Brooks for a 22-yard touchdown with a minute left in the third quarter, making the score 45-20.
The Trojans were able to make a few more defensive stops in the fourth quarter, but they could not score again. Glenn said the Trojans are still going through a process.
“This is the process of building a program,” he said. “Sometimes parts of a process can be inconvenient. Tonight was an inconvenient night.”
Glenn tipped his hat to Charger head coach Dylan Mitchell and praised the Chargers.
“They are going to have a chance to make a run in 3A this year,” he said.
The Trojans will now have a bye week as they prepare to take on Caledonia in two weeks. Leading up to that game, Glenn said the Trojans will be working to improve defensively, while continuing to play Trojan football.
“Offensively, we just have to play our football and take what the defense gives us,” he said.
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