Trigg County’s football senior class accomplished two things Friday for the first time. The Wildcats’ 33-7 win over Union County assures them of their first winning season and first home playoff game since 2014.
Wildcat Coach Coby Lewis called it their “most complete game” of the season as they moved to 6-3 overall and 2-1 in the district.
Trigg County got the scoring going first when Cam Jordan found Andrew Syester on a 62-yard scoring strike down the right sideline for a 7-0 lead with 3:51 left in the opening quarter.
Both teams struggled to find their footing in a steady rain that fell throughout the game at Perdue Field. Union County welcomed back leading rusher Corithian Seales-Portee, who missed five games due to injury after rushing for 514 yards and seven touchdowns in Union’s first three games. He ran for 53 yards on 13 carries Friday with just one run longer than seven yards.
Union scored their only touchdown with 19 seconds left in the first half when Gabe Adams hit Solomon Teehan on a 19-yard pass in the corner of the end zone.
Trigg effectively ran the football in the second half, scoring two rushing touchdowns in both the third and fourth quarters. Cade Bleidt, who ran for 142 yards and four touchdowns last week in a win over Webster County, added 143 yards and two more TDs to his scoresheet. Bleidt’s fourth quarter scoring runs came from 23 and 50 yards out.
Tayshaun Barker added 54 yards on 10 carries, and Cam Jordan had 11 carries for 48 yards and two third quarter touchdowns. Trigg ran for 247 yards as a team.
Jordan was 6-of-10 passing for 127 yards. Andrew Syester had three catches for 109 yards.
Trigg outgained Union 374-239. Union also had three turnovers. Jacob Kent, who missed three weeks with an injury, returned to recover a fumble and pick off a Union pass.
Trigg’s win means the Wildcats will host Union County (4-5, 1-2) again in two weeks in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs. Trigg has won eight of their last 10 home playoff games.
Trigg County (6-3, 2-1) will host Caldwell County (7-2) in the annual 139 Bowl next Friday.
Union County 0 7 0 0– 7
TRIGG COUNTY 7 0 14 12– 33
SCORING
FIRST QUARTER
Trigg – Andrew Syester 62-yard pass from Cam Jordan (Syester Kick), 3:51
SECOND QUARTER
Union – Solomon Teehan 19-yard pass from Gabe Adams (Chris Sabino Kick), 0:19
THIRD QUARTER
Trigg – Jordan 1-yard run (Kick Failed), 4:37
Trigg – Jordan 2-yard run (Jordan to Ion Thompson pass), 1:21
FOURTH QUARTER
Trigg – Bleidt 23-yard run (Kick Failed), 10:33
Trigg – Bleidt 50-yard run (Kick Failed), 3:37
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING
TRIGG – Bleidt 14-143; Barker 10-54; Jordan 11-48; Bridges 3-2
UNION –Portee-Seales 13-53; Ervin 6-43; McGraw 7-38; Adams 4-10; Collins 1-6; Hughes 3-4
PASSING
TRIGG – Jordan 6-10, 127 yards, TD
UNION – Adams 8-24, 81 yards, TD, INT
RECEIVING
TRIGG – Syester 3-109; Bridges 2-16; Thompson 1-2
UNION – Teehan 4-49; Adams 2-18; Hughes 1-11; Shreeve 1-8
TEAM STATS
RUSHES/YARDS
Trigg – 38/247
Union – 34/158
PASSING
Trigg – 6-10, 127 yards, 1 TD
Union – 8-24, 81 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
TOTAL YARDS
Trigg – 374
Union – 239
YARDS PER PLAY
Trigg – 7.8
Union – 4.1
FIRST DOWNS
Trigg – 16
Union – 13
PENALTIES/YARDS
Trigg – 8/80
Union – 10/125
RECORDS
Trigg County 6-3 (vs. Caldwell County next week)
Union County 4-5 (vs. Calloway County next week)