JOLIET, Ill.— Despite several flashes of brilliance on both sides of the ball, the Trojans fell to St. Francis on the road in Saturday's MSFA clash, bested by a 39-7 margin.

The ballgame opened on fairly unremarkable terms, with both offenses sputtering after St. Francis kicked off the contest with a touchdown drive and subsequent two-point conversion. The Trojan defense showed its mettle throughout the stanza, with their efforts highlighted by a joint sack shared between Jeremy Walton and Jaylyn Norris. The initial sack was just a sign of things to come from the talented freshman duo, who would combine for four sacks in the contest.

The second frame was not kind to the Trojans, who surrendered touchdown drives on the first two St. Francis possessions of the quarter to swell the margin to 22-0. The offense did show signs of life however, putting up their most promising drive of the game midway through the period, an effort highlighted by a 20-yard strike from Mickle to wideout Bryce Thurman for a big third down conversion. Unfortunately, the Trojans were forced to punt, and St. Francis would eventually tack on a buzzer-beating field goal to increase the lead to 25-0 at halftime.

Trinity continued to fight after the halftime break, with shifty tailback Javier Acosta providing one of the highlights of the afternoon, ripping off a 57-yard run on the Trojans' second drive of the half. After again surrendering scores on the first two St. Francis drives, the Trojan defense had perhaps its best sequence of the day, snuffing out the next St. Francis effort in three-and-out fashion including a Norris sack to give them some momentum heading into the fourth despite still trailing 39-0.

Channeling the energetic and perseverant culture instilled in them by head coach Willie Tillman, the Trojans played their best ball in the final period. With St. Francis marching down the field and threatening to score again, it was time for another talented freshman to step up for the Trojan defense, with corner Deven Arevalo plucking an errant pass out of the sky for his second interception of the year to get the ball back in the hands of the Trojans. Feeding off the energy created by the turnover, the Trojan offense kicked into gear. Mickle fired a dart to fellow freshman Cameron Jones, who continued his outstanding year by galloping into the end zone for a 65-yard score. After forcing a three-and-out, the Trojans again got to business offensively, with Mickle finding the Trojans' leading receiver Jones again, this time for a 54-yard gain deep into St. Francis territory. While the Trojans surrendered the ball on downs on that occasion, the explosive contributions late gave a glimpse of the offense's potential despite the 39-7 defeat.

While Saturday didn't bring the short-term results the Trojans were looking for, the afternoon did serve to put everyone on notice as to the outstanding young talent on this Trojan team. Freshmen on both sides of the ball showcased their skills for Trinity throughout the contest, with Mickle (13-for-21 passing, 183 passing yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception) and Jones (5 catches, 157 receiving yards, 1 touchdown) headlining the offensive effort while Walton (2.5 sacks), Norris (1.5 sacks) and Arevalo (1 interception) did the same on the defensive side. While it might be a bumpy road for Coach Tillman's squad, the future is certainly bright with so many newcomers already contributing like seasoned vets.

The Trojans (0-6) will seek to turn their momentum into their first victory of 2022 when they return home to square off with the Lakers of Roosevelt University on October 15th.
 
 

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Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness, and lifelong learning.