After last week’s 46-7 loss to Crittenden County on their home field, Trigg County felt they had something to prove Friday against Ballard Memorial. And prove they did as the Wildcats jumped out to a 35-0 first quarter lead and cruised to a 49-13 win over the Bombers at Perdue Field.
While Trigg County had a parade of stars in the contest, it was Jakobe Bridges who scored a touchdown four different ways in the first half as the Wildcats outgained Ballard Memorial 293-30.
On the Bombers’ second drive of the game, they punted to Bridges who took it 54 yards for the first score of the game.
Ballard Memorial quarterback Erick Marinelli came into the game averaging 398 yards passing per game and had thrown 13 touchdowns against no interceptions. However, Trigg County dialed up pressure all night, forcing the Bomber QB to scramble and hurry his attempts. Riley Stallons picked off an errant pass that set up a Cam Jordan 8-yard with 7:14 left in the opening quarter.
Trigg would score just 78 seconds later when a Jordan to Kyron Grubbs 61-yard pass play set up an 8-yard TD run by Bridges for a 20-0 lead with 5:56 left.
The Wildcat defense continued their blitz and sacked Marinelli in the end zone for a safety.
Bridges added his third touchdown of the quarter on a 30-yard screen pass with 3:56 left in the quarter that put the Wildcats ahead 29-0.
Stallons would get into the scoring column when he hauled in a 13-yard pass from Jordan to round out the first quarter scoring.
Bridges would add a 20-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and later throw a 16-yard scoring pass to Jordan. Bridges would have accounted for a sixth touchdown of the half but his interception return for a score was one of three Wildcat TDs negated by penalties.
Up 49-0 at halftime, Trigg used the second team offense in the second half in an attempt to quickly dispense of a running clock.
Marinelli connected with Trenton Howard on a pair of touchdown passes late in the third quarter for the only Bomber scores. Marinelli finished 15-of-41 for 155 yards. Drew Cox, who came into the game averaging 140 receiving yards and had seven touchdowns, was held to 71 yards and kept out of the end zone.
Bridges caught five passes for 54 yards and added 28 rushing yards. Jordan was 9-of-15 passing for 121 yards and added 70 rushing yards on just five first half carries. Kyron Grubbs added three catches for 99 yards.
The Wildcats outgained Ballard Memorial 343-140 and held the Bombers to negative-15 rushing yards.
Trigg County (2-2) will travel to Russellville Friday to face the Panthers, who lost to Logan County 49-7.