Trojans Score Season-Opening Win in Instant Classic

Broadcast Highlights | Sideline Highlights

UPLAND, Ind. – A 24-yard touchdown scamper by Damon Hockett in the closing seconds of Saturday's season-opening tilt at Turner Stadium capped an electric contest in front of a full house and sent Taylor to a 37-34 victory for the program's 300th all-time win.

The game featured 11 lead changes, as TU and Saint Ambrose exchanged scores throughout the evening. The two squads combined for 809 total yards of offense, 39 first downs, nine touchdowns and four scoring plays of over 45 yards in the sea-saw contest.

The Trojans dominated the stat line but could not pull away from the home-run hitting SAU offense. TU doubled up the Fighting Bees (0-1) in first downs, posted 87 more yards of offense, ran 40 more plays and controlled the ball for nearly 38-of-60 minutes of game action.

Ja Thomas led the offense for TU, rushing 12 times for 109 yards and one score, averaging 9.0 yards per carry and scoring on a 64-yard sprint. The second-year player also caught one pass for 56 yards while showcasing his playmaking abilities.

Stephen Ellis also helped with 10.0 yards per carry on six touches, while Dakohta Sonnichsen and Josh Ellman combined for 60 yards on five receptions.

Lucas Shilts accounted for 13 points on the night with three field goals in four tries, including a 40-yard make, and added four extra-points.

The experienced linebacker duo of Aven Jones and Jacob Hockett anchored the defense, as Jones notched 12 hits and Hockett collected nine. Jeremiah Mansfield, Caleb Ranzau and Alec Schrock combined for Taylor's two sacks, and Reid Wheeler and Dawson Scally provided TU's lone takeaways in the game with interceptions.

Those two picks helped hold the SAU offense at bay in the opening half, while one-yard touchdown runs from Scally and Brendan Lamb, along with a pair of Shilts field goals sent the Trojans to the break with a 20-14 lead.

The third quarter provided a snap shot of the entire evening and set the stage for the fourth-quarter fireworks. Saint Ambrose took the kick and used five plays to find the end zone and the 21-20 lead. After both sides punted, the Trojans extended what eventually developed into a 16-play scoring drive by converting on a fourth-and-12 and capped the drive with the third Shilts field goal of the game to reclaim a two-point edge.

Things took a sour turn moments later, as SAU dialed up a 76-yard touchdown connection on the next play from scrimmage and the ensuing Taylor possession ended in the squad's lone turnover of the game.

It appeared the momentum and lead would swell even more in favor of the Bees, but Hojun Yun ripped the ball out of a receiver's hands in the end zone on fourth-and-two from the 36 to take a touchdown off the board and give the ball back to Taylor with the single-score deficit.

The Trojans capitalized by hitting on a big play of their own, with Thomas breaking free for a 64-yard score on the next play.

The Turner Stadium crowd was hushed seconds later, when SAU again used a big play to dent the scoreboard. This time, a 52-yard catch and run put the Trojans back in a 34-30 hole with 3:38 remaining.

Taylor had the final say however, steadily moving the ball up the field and draining the clock. A key fourth down conversion from Hockett to Ellis moved the ball to near midfield early in the possession and two third-down conversions later helped send Taylor to the victory.

The final one came on third-and-12 from the SAU 24 with Hockett scrambling and scoring on a 24-yard run to put Taylor up, 37-34, with nine seconds to play.

Not to be denied, the Bees return the kickoff 39 yards and went out of bounds with one second remaining, but the potential game-tying field goal from 47 yards away fell short and Taylor was finally free to celebrate the victory.

The Trojans (1-0) will open MSFA Mideast League play on September 2 at #RV Concordia (0-0) in a 1:00 pm start.