Blakelee Steeb | Echo
The Taylor football team defeated Trinity International 33-19 on Saturday at Turner Stadium. The victory was then celebrated with fireworks afterwards as fans and players watched the explosions.
Taylor's football team is only a few games into its season, but each player seems to demonstrate the degree of resiliency that is required of a collegiate football player.
After losing at Butler University two weeks ago, the Trojans sought out a win as they returned home. The victory could be attributed to the way each player bounced back from their shortcomings. These shortcomings include the number of penalties called against the Trojans - primarily offensive holding and pass interference.
The 15 yard penalties can stifle a drive and disrupt the flow of the game. Regardless of the lost yardage due to penalties, the team continued to reach the first down they aimed for, converting 10 out of 14 third downs.
Redshirt junior quarterback Everett Pollard contributed to the offensive success even amidst penalties. Pollard went 23-28 with a completion percentage of 82 percent. He also had 237 passing yards with 2 passing touchdowns.
Pollard also connected with senior wide receiver Grant Hohlbein nine times for 85 yards. Hohlbein's longest reception was 22 yards and he also caught one touchdown.
Resiliency is significant in football, but alone it is not enough. Resiliency paired with trust in one another is what has made the team successful thus far, something that head coach Ron Korfmacher stresses.
"Offensively, we didn't start as fast as we would have liked, but we were resilient through the third quarter," Pollard said. "I'm always encouraged by how tough and trustworthy our receivers and offensive line are. We had some different looks on defense and adapted."
The first half of the game didn't go as well as the team desired, as they lacked the energy usually brought by the Trojans.
According to sophomore Jackson Bronkema, the lack of energy may have been due to the irregular heat for late September, causing the team to be more tired than usual. Regardless of these circumstances, the Trojans knew they needed to overcome it if they wanted to win and exhibit their resiliency once again.
The game didn't start slow for everyone, however. Senior Dovi Gamble blocked his 14th career punt and took his seventh interception in for a touchdown, putting the Trojans ahead in the first quarter.
In addition, Gamble was recognized by the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) as the Mideast League Special Teams Player of the Week.
The team has been successful thus far, but Korfmacher wants his team to be focusing on the next game and this week's preparation for their next opponent.
The Trojans will play at St. Xavier for the first time in five years tomorrow at 2 p.m. This will be Taylor's last game before they start conference play.
"Photograph by Brad Timmerman"
