BY: Jordan Miller, Staff Writer
PUBLICATION 9.21.12
Coming off a tremendous two-win start, the Taylor football team traveled to Davenport, Iowa, to face No. 9 St. Ambrose.
After a close battle, the team fell in a disappointing 24-14 loss against the Fighting Bees on Saturday. The Trojans (2-1) struggled to come out on top as St. Ambrose forced turnovers and made key plays.
Taylor had 306 yards of offense compared to St. Ambrose's 379 yards. The offense owned the ground with 148 yards in rushing over St. Ambrose, who had 131. The running game was controlled by sophomore Jake Fidler and senior Taylor Johnson.
Fidler had 15 carries for 89 yards, while Johnson took 20 carries for 79 yards. The Fighting Bees controlled the air with 248 yards, including two big passes combined for 133 yards over the Trojans' 158 yards.
The Trojans battled the Fighting Bees in a closely contested first half.
After a St. Ambrose field goal, the Taylor offense drove the ball downfield. Sophomore Robbie Robbins topped off the nearly five-minute drive with a 7-yard carry into the end zone nearing the end of the first quarter.
The Fighting Bees responded in the second quarter with a 13-play, 87-yard drive of their own which put them up 10-7 over the Trojans at the half.
St. Ambrose struck early in the second half with a 65-yard touchdown pass that increased the lead to 17-7. Fidler took the offense downfield with a 29-yard run, but the Trojans fumbled for a turnover shortly after.
St. Ambrose looked to capitalize on the turnover as they worked the ball toward Trojan territory. From the Trojan 5-yard line, St. Ambrose passed for another touchdown but was intercepted by senior safety Adam Middlesworth for a crucial Trojan stop.
With the help of junior punter Stephan Straits, the Taylor offense managed to pin St. Ambrose deep in their own territory. The Fighting Bees connected shortly with another 68-yard touchdown to increase the margin to 24-7.
Taylor's offense picked back up early in the fourth quarter. Fidler and Johnson both rushed for a combined 37 yards, which helped Johnson finish the drive with a 2-yard touchdown, narrowing the score to 24-14.
Later in the fourth quarter, after a crucial defensive stop, the Trojans' momentum swelled. Taylor's offense drove the ball 59 yards in 10 plays to put them in the red zone, but St. Ambrose forced another fumble that caused another turnover for the Trojans.
The Taylor offense managed to take one more shot at the scoreboard after forcing St. Ambrose to another punt. Freshman kicker Alec Eickert attempted a 30-yard kick which sailed right with 17 seconds to go in the game.
The Trojans' suffered from three crucial turnovers. The offense struggled with three fumbles, two of which were lost to St. Ambrose, and an interception.
The Taylor defense caused trouble for the St. Ambrose running game. Middlesworth and sophomore Taylor Borst led the defense with the most tackles, and senior Bryan Onuselogu had three tackles for loss, including an assist.
"I was real pleased with defense on how we made them earn their running yards," said head coach Ron Korfmacher. "We felt like this was a game that they would attack and run the ball more and be very productive at it; based on who they are, what they do."
Korfmacher and his team are putting Saturday's loss behind them and looking to fine-tune their game in the coming weeks.
The Trojans continue on the road as they face Trine University 1 p.m. Sept. 22.
