Chris Yingling | Echo
The Taylor football team travelled to No. 11 Saint Ambrose last Saturday but came up just short in a 48-37 contest on the road.
The offense was firing on all cylinders at the beginning of the game, picking up where they left off in last week's 58-7 blowout of Anderson. In just the first half of the opening quarter, junior quarterback Jonathan Keith found junior running back Jake Fidler for a score, followed soon after by a strike to sophomore wide receiver Shawn Lashbrook for a touchdown. The Trojans jumped out to a 14-0 lead early in the contest.
Saint Ambrose came back immediately with 21 unanswered points. The offenses traded possessions back and forth until halftime with the Trojans leading 31-28.
Taylor lacked the explosive offense it had in the first half as Saint Ambrose started to gain momentum with good defensive play. Late in the third quarter, the Bees jumped out to a 10-point cushion, leading 41-31.
The Trojans made a good comeback attempt with a 15-play drive for 80 yards to cut the lead to 41-37 with 4:37 left in game, but the Bees sealed the victory with their fourth interception of the afternoon. The turnover led to their seventh touchdown of the day and a final score of 48-37 in favor of Saint Ambrose.
Keith turned in a great performance, completing 20 of his 31 passes for 276 yards and four touchdowns while also tossing two interceptions.
Lashbrook was the most productive Trojan on the Taylor receiving core, hauling in five receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Michael Miller led the Trojans in total receptions with six.
The Trojans defensive front seven was dominant against the Bees. Led by senior linebacker Isaac McGaughey, the Trojan defense racked up five sacks against Saint Ambrose, increasing their total to seven for the season.
The Trojans return to battle on their home turf against NCAA Division II Lane College this Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
