The Shamrocks (2-2) host the Cocoa (FL) Tigers (2-0) in St. Matthews this Friday evening. The kickoff set for 7:30PM. The Tigers defeated the Astronaut (FL) War Eagles (0-3) 49-14 and opened the season with a 31-17 victory over the Titusville (FL) Terriers (2-1). Trinity lost at the Ensworth (TN) Tigers (3-0) 21-14 to open the season. The Rocks fell at home to Carmel (IN) Greyhounds (4-0) 10-7 in the second week. Trinity followed that with a home win over Philadelphia’s Imhotep Charter School (2-1) 30-6. Trinity evened their 2014 record with a road victory 36-27 over the Colerain (OH) Cardinals.

 

In last week’s game in Titusville, Florida Cocoa trailed 6-0 after a perfectly executed fake field goal resulted in a 15-yard touchdown reception. The Tigers’ Chauncey Gardner (JR 6’ 190 lbs) returned the kickoff 65 yards for a TD. Eighth-grade kicker Alex Petruzzello (5’ 10” 165 lbs) put the Tigers ahead with 6:45 left in the opening quarter. Cocoa blew the game open with three touchdowns on 8 offensive plays in the second quarter. Quarterback Bruce Judson (SO 5’ 11” 180 lbs) finished with 11 completions in 20 passing attempts for 206 yards and three TD passes. Judson added one rushing TD in the third quarter. Jamel Dean (SR 6’ 2” 195 lbs) caught two touchdown passes, one for 35 yards and the other for 69 yards. Kevin Troutman (SR 6’ 1” 160 lbs) caught 6 passes for 54 yards in the first fourteen minutes of the game. The Tigers ran their “quick game, our catch and throw” according to QB Judson. Justin Weaver (SR 6’ 1” 180 lbs) added 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers.

 

Trinity’s game at Colerain was played before an estimated 5,000 fans. Trinity outgained the Cardinals 464 yards to 447 yards per Shamrocks statistician Glen Owens. The Rocks outrushed Colerain 319 to 213. Trinity could not avoid the turnover bug that plagued them in their first two games. The Rocks committed three turnovers, 1 fumble and two interceptions. The officials flagged the Rocks twice for a total of twenty yards. Colerain lost three fumbles. The Cardinals were penalized 13 yards on three penalties.

 

Sophomore QB Larry Harper III (5’ 8” 170 lbs) (15 completions/25 attempts-145 yards) played very well. Senior RB Donald Brooks (6’ 190 lbs) scored five rushing touchdowns and gained 290 yards on 37 carries. Junior Jalen Reed (5’ 10” 200 lbs) added 21 yards on 4 carries. Junior wide receivers Rodjay Burns (6’ 2” 180 lbs) had 6 receptions for 73 yards & Dalton Jones (6’ 2” 180 lbs) added 5 catches for 55 yards. Senior placekicker Andrew Deye (5’ 8” 160 lbs) added a 31 yard field goal and three PATs.

 

On the defensive side for Trinity versus Colerain, Landon Corolla (SR DL 6’ 2” 225 lbs) made 5 tackles. Adam King (SR DL 6’ 1” 250 lbs), Damon Lowe (JR LB 6’1 230 lbs), Marcus Sides-Johnson (JR DB 5’9” 160 lbs) and Ryan Reynolds (JR DB 6’ 1” 190 lbs) each were credited with four tackles. Vince Lococo (5’ 11” 215 lbs) recorded the only sack for Trinity. Corolla, Reynolds, and the team were credited with fumble recoveries.

 

 

Trinity tidbits: Donald Brooks has rushed for 648 yards in four games this season. Trinity is facing their second opponent all-time from Florida. The first game occurred on September 16, 1960 as Trinity traveled to Pensacola, FL. In the longest road trip in Trinity football history, the Shamrocks were defeated 40-0 by Pensacola High School. Newspaper accounts stated immediately after the game, “Trinity got back on the bus and headed for home”.

This is the second and final game this season arranged by a third party service for Trinity. I understand Imhotep bused in Thursday and stayed at a local hotel before rising to practice at Trinity on Friday morning. I believe the Panthers stayed the night again before heading for Philly. I hear Cocoa is flying in for their game Friday. I imagine Trinity paid a hefty sum for these games since they are both "one way" deals. There are no return games for Trinity to honor.

From Jason Frakes: Courier-Journal Friday 9/19/14

 

Searching for an identity on offense after an 0-2 start this season, the Trinity High School football team seems to have found one in its rushing attack.

 

Senior running back Donald Brooks has been the star of the Shamrocks’ recent run, rushing for 437 yards and seven touchdowns during a two-game winning streak. That includes a 290-yard, five-touchdown performance on 37 carries in a 36-27 victory at Cincinnati Colerain last week.

 

“The linemen did an awesome job, and I did a good job of reading the holes,” Brooks said. “When something’s going good, you don’t break it.”

 

Trinity will attempt to keep its rushing attack rolling Friday night when it hosts a Cocoa (Fla.) team that is 2-0 and ranked No. 53 in the nation by NationalHSFootball.com. Kickoff is set for 7:30. The Tigers feature five FBS prospects, including one of the nation’s highest-ranked sophomore quarterbacks in Bruce Judson.

 

“They’re very, very well-coached,” Trinity coach Bob Beatty said. “The athletes they have are long and can run — their quarterback, their receivers — and they have some offensive and defensive linemen that are outstanding.”

 

Brooks has been outstanding for Trinity for most of the season, having rushed for 648 yards and 10 touchdowns on 103 carries (6.3 yards per carry).

 

Beatty said Brooks’ high number of carries against Colerain was a result of several factors, including a desire to protect sophomore quarterback Larry Harper III and to take advantage of the opponent’s inexperience on the defensive line.

 

And, of course, Brooks has proved he can handle it.

 

“We have a great horse, so let’s feed that horse,” Beatty said. “We have several backs I feel are capable of running, and those guys are showing up.”

 

Trinity has run the ball on 64.4 percent of its plays this season, a somewhat surprising number given the program’s history of big passing numbers. Beatty said that number is not important and simply is a result of taking what the defense is giving.

 

He also said the passing game has taken longer to develop this season because more of the team’s skill players also are seeing practice and playing time on defense.

 

“That timing of the run and pass game takes a while,” Beatty said. “I feel like each week we’re improving there.”

 

Cocoa’s Judson, a 5-foot-9 176-pounder, has accounted for eight touchdowns (five passing, three rushing) through two games. He has scholarship offers from Florida State, Miami, Clemson and Kentucky, among several others.

 

“He’s definitely a dual-threat guy,” Cocoa coach John Wilkinson said. “He’s gotten a lot better this year with reading coverages and defenses.”

 

Junior lineman Jawaan Taylor (6-4, 345) and junior tight end Zach Armour (6-3, 190) are other top recruits on offense. Senior cornerback Jamel Dean (Ohio State commitment) and junior safety Chauncey Gardner (Florida commitment) lead the defense.

 

Cocoa, a Class 4-A school in Florida’s eight-class system, was scheduled to bring just 30 players on its flight to Louisville on Thursday night, Wilkinson said. The Tigers are accustomed to traveling out of state, having visited Maryland last year, New Jersey in 2012 and Ohio, Texas and Louisiana in 2011.

 

“We probably have eight or 10 kids who have never been on a plane before,” Wilkinson said. “A lot of kids from our area don’t get out of Cocoa or the county. There are obstacles to the travel … but the experience outweighs all of the obstacles.”

 

Jason Frakes can be reached at (502) 582-4046 and followed on Twitter @kyhighs.

 

GAME OF THE WEEK

 

• Who: Cocoa (2-0) at Trinity (2-2).

 

• When: 7:30 tonight.

 

• Jason’s pick: Trinity 35-27.

Trinity is certainly not a "parochial" school in the sense of "provincial." Cocoa will be the fifth opponent from a different state for the Rocks in five games: Tennessee, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio and now Florida.