Chris Yingling | Echo
The Taylor football team brought home the Wagon Wheel for the seventh straight time on Saturday as the Trojans handled rival Anderson Ravens 56-10.
Any concerns going into the game were erased as the Trojans put up three straight touchdowns to start out the game 21-0. Senior quarterback Jonathan Keith connected with junior receiver Andrew Sheard twice in the first half while also running for a score on a quarterback keeper.
The Trojans never looked back in the second half as the offense continued to move fluidly and the defense held against the Anderson offensive attack."We had a real steady approach and a really steady performance on both sides of the ball," said head coach Ron Korfmacher. "We protected the quarterback, we had a great run game and had some fine games from our skill positions. On defense, we pressured the quarterback, we got sacks and stopped the run."
The blowout came just a week after being shut out by NCAA Division I FCS Southern Illinois. The Trojans came back strong against Anderson, posting 535 total offensive yards against the Ravens.
In the Taylor/Anderson rivalry, Taylor has yet to face a deficit against the Ravens since the beginning of the win streak in 2008.
Keith led the Taylor offense, going 22/30 for 241 yards and four touchdowns. Keith also added 60 yards on 12 rushing attempts along with another score. The offensive line held well against Anderson, yielding no sacks all evening.
"Our offensive line played really well," Keith said. "There wasn't too much defensive pressure, and I was able to take my time in the pocket. Everyone on this offense played really well and that makes my job easier."
Sheard headed the Taylor receiving core with a stellar performance. Sheard hauled in seven catches for 81 yards and found the end zone three times. Senior Griffin Lowe added four receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Junior running back Kennedy Hill led all players with 104 yards on the ground along with a touchdown. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry against Anderson just a week after averaging just 2.2 yards per carry against SIU. Sophomore Rich Giordani posted 72 rushing yards while junior Justin Keys added 42 yards and a score.
The defensive unit as a whole had a great game. Anderson was held to a paltry 3.1 yards per play for just 178 total offensive yards.
Senior lineman Cody Schwerin led the team with three sacks on the day while also logging four total tackles. Schwerin's effort earned him MSFA Mideast League Defensive Player of the Week with his career-high three sacks that resulted in 16 lost yards.
"The whole defensive line did really well and we're becoming better everyday," Schwerin said. "We were collapsing the pocket on every play; the quarterback had to go somewhere and I ended up getting him. It was a whole team effort."
Junior safety Adam Sauder paced the defence with six total tackles, including 1.5 for losses. The Trojans forced two turnovers on the day with a forced fumble and recovery by senior linebacker Nathaniel Ryan, followed by a 76-yard interception return for a touchdown by freshman defensive back Jimmy Soderstrom.
Junior kicker Wynn Coggin was 8/8 on extra point attempts on the day, earning himself MFSA Mideast League Special Team Player of the Week honors. Coggin contributed eight points to Taylor's 56-point barrage.
Taylor will be back in action in this weekend's home opener against No. 17 Saint Ambrose on Saturday at 1 p.m. in New Stadium.Photograph by Josh Adams
