ELGIN, IL— Time after time, the Trojans were turned aside in their bid to earn their first victory of 2022. Time after time, they went back to the practice field, the film room, and the weight room, expending every ounce of mental and physical energy to put them over the edge. But still, things just never seemed to go the Trojans' way. A solid offensive outing against Taylor was negated by the opponent's scoring outburst. A gritty effort against ranked St. Xavier was rendered insufficient by a couple tough breaks and game-changing swings. And a solid showing in monsoon-like conditions on Senior Day just one week ago was marred by the Trojans facing multiple opponents—the Tigers of Olivet Nazarene and the elements. But this Saturday, that all changed. All the hours, all the heartbreak, all the moments spent conjuring up the will to go on have at long last been repaid. Because on a chilly afternoon in Elgin, the Trojans emerged victorious over the Eagles of Judson University.
The Trojans wasted no time as the contest got underway, receiving the opening kickoff before handing the pigskin to dependable tailback Derek Lowe, who burst downfield for a 12-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. Lowe one-upped himself on the next play, detonating for a 20-yard gain before picking up nine more on the following play to single-handedly move the Trojans all the way to the Judson 27-yard line. Shortly thereafter, the Trojans faced a third and short, but instead of putting it in the belly of Lowe once more, the Trinity offense elected to roll the dice, employing a different look on the pivotal down. Instead of going back to the power run, the Trojans handed it off to explosive wideout Bryce Thurman, who broke loose and raced downfield, picking up all 28 remaining yards for the score. With the Trojans on top, the Trinity defense set out not only to protect the lead, but to enlarge it, as versatile corner Mike Upshaw got home on a third down strip-sack that was scooped off the canvas by Deven Arevalo who took it all the way to paydirt for a second Trojan score. The defense continued to play at a high level for the duration of the frame, blanking the Eagles as the Trojans concluded the opening quarter in possession of a 14-0 edge.
While the Eagle offense would find its groove in a huge way in the second quarter, the Trojan unit would match them blow for blow in a video game-esque period in which every offensive possession would conclude in a touchdown. Judson scored first, but the Trojans came right back at the home squad, again turning to their formidable ground attack to ignite their march to the promised land. Dual-threat rookie quarterback Liam Mickle broke free for an explosive 27-yard rush before Lowe, not to be outdone, ripped off a 14-yard gainer of his own. Finding themselves behind the sticks on a 3rd-and-11, Mickle connected with Thurman again, but the skilled receiver found himself just short of the line to make. The Trojan offense stayed out, and while everyone on the field, on the sidelines, or in the stands knew exactly where the ball was going, not a soul could do anything about it.
Derek Lowe clubbed his way through the mass of bodies for a six-yard gain and a drive-saving conversion before Mickle hooked up with Thurman from nine yards out to help the star transfer wideout fill in his bingo card with both a rushing and receiving touchdown on the day. After Judson scored once more, the Trojans counter-punched with an explosive drive, flashing down the field in the blink of an eye. Mickle slung another ball out to big play factory Thurman, who galloped downfield for a 34-yard gain that moved the Trojans past the midfield stripe. Again using unique looks in the run game, the Trojans made a ball carrier of their star freshman wideout
Cameron Jones, who looked the part as he burst onto the scene with a 40-yard touchdown run. While Judson would cap their impressive offensive stanza with a touchdown seconds before the half concluded, the Trojans' exploits helped them weather the storm and retain a 28-20 advantage going into the locker room at halftime.
The Eagles would start the second half with the ball, but that point was shortly rendered moot when rookie lineman Jaylyn Norris got his paws on a pass and hauled it in to set Trinity up with prime real estate at the Judson 22. Trinity would pay it off just a couple plays later as Lowe continued his stellar effort with a 14-yard mission to paydirt to add to the Trinity lead. After forcing a three-and-out, the Trojans would again showcase their combustibility, with the dynamic Jones getting loose in the secondary and tapping into the freshman connection with Mickle to take a 64-yard catch and run to the house to help Trinity mount a daunting 42-20 lead. However, the Eagles refused to raise the white flag, ripping off a pair of 60-plus yard touchdown runs as the Trojan offense finally hit a rough patch to reel in Trinity and reduce the Trojan lead to just 42-32.
The dawn of the final quarter did little to resuscitate the Trojan offense, as although the unit had done more than its share through the first three quarters to put the team in a position to win, it was clear that the defense would have to plant their heels and find a way to stem the tide until time expired. With the hopes and dreams of the Trojan faithful riding on their every action, the defense did just that, starting the period with a clutch fourth down stop deep in Trojan territory. They were even more dominant on the Eagles' next offensive opportunity, snuffing out any hope of a productive drive with a lightning-quick three-and-out. Even a slew of bad breaks couldn't derail the laser-focused Trojan resistance, as a fumble that put the ball right back in the Eagles' hands was followed up by a tackle for loss being converted into a monster gain via a face mask penalty, but the Trojans regrouped in short order to pilfer the pigskin by stopping the Eagles on fourth down. Late in the frame, with each passing moment increasing the likelihood of a Trojan victory, Trinity corner Mike Upshaw eviscerated the last shred of Eagle hope, continuing his career year with his third pick to seal the deal. A few plays later, it was official—the Trojans were victorious by a 42-32 score.
Fittingly, it was a balanced effort that saw every unit that Coach Willie Tillman deployed play a key role that caused the Trojans to break through with their first win of the season. Lowe (19 carries, 90 yards, one touchdown) headed a lethal attack on the ground, and the offensive line staked their claim to the trenches, aiding a land-based scheme that totaled 226 yards and 5.3 yards per carry while eight different ball carriers managed positive yardage. The Trojan air raid was solid when called upon as well, as Mickle delivered a remarkable effort, picking up 167 passing yards on just nine completions while also finding the end zone twice. The duo of Jones (two catches, 89 yards, touchdown) and Thurman (three catches, 53 yards, touchdown) accounted for much of that production while also each scoring on the ground, further showcasing the potent diversity of the Trojan attack. The defense also galvanized when it mattered most, pitching a shutout in the final quarter while churning out three picks and two sacks as a unit, including the twelfth sack of freshman Jeremy Walton's luminescent campaign, a total that places him in a tie for third on the NAIA's national leaderboard.
The Trojans (1-10) wrap up a season that didn't go according to plan, but they did show consistent improvement while building an impressive young core under Coach Tillman's leadership before going out on top in their final game. Look for the Trojans to move on to bigger and better things as they continue to refresh and retool for 2023.
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.
