BY CECE THOMAS
Special to the Telegraph-Times-Monitor
Andrew Thomas has been the head football coach for the Union County Tigers for five seasons, but before that he was the head coach for the Trinity Catholic Celtics for two seasons.
Though the Class 1A Celtics have been state runners-up the past two seasons and play a tough schedule, the Rural Class Tigers made it look easy in Thomas’ first time coaching against his former team, winning 54-16 on Oct. 18 in Lake Butler.
“I thought we played well for most of the game,” said Thomas, whose team improved to 7-0. “We struggled at times defensively. We must get off the field and not let them extend drives. A couple of plays we gave up, we just weren’t disciplined enough in the back end.
“Other than that, we played really well, and we got after the quarterback on defense. Offensively, we executed well and were able to mix it up with the runs and passes.”
The Tigers, who travel to play Class 3A Hudson (3-5) on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m., won the coin toss against Trinity Catholic and deferred to the second half. Gavin Jenkins kicked the ball into the end zone for a touchback, which had the Celtics (1-7) starting a drive at their own 20. Despite an incomplete pass and a holding penalty, the Celtics gained enough yardage for a first down on a pitch play around right end on which the Tigers missed several tackles. A loss on a quarterback keeper by Carter Schofield resulted in second-and-12 at the 29-yard line. Following another tackle for a loss, Schofield tried to scramble and find somebody to pass the ball to, but he was tackled by Trenton Klein after gaining just a couple of yards. The Celtics punted on fourth-and-12, with the Tigers taking over at their own 49-yard line.
Drew Simmons took a handoff around right end for a first down. After Klein completed a pass to Ibn Williams for a short gain, Simmons took it in for a touchdown from the Trinity 35-yard line. Union went for two and was stopped short, but the Tigers led 6-0 with 7:44 left in the first quarter.
Jenkins’ kickoff was caught at the goal line and returned to the Celtics’ 23-yard line. A short gain on a handoff was followed by another handoff on which the back gained enough for a first down. The Tigers’ Garrett Jackson
made a tackle for a huge loss after an incomplete pass. On third-and-20, an incomplete pass forced another punt. A bad snap resulted in the Tigers making a tackle for a huge loss, giving their offense the ball at the Trinity 12-yard line.
C.J. Ivey scored on a touchdown run. The Tigers were stopped again on the two-point conversion. The score was 12-0 with 5:21 left in the first quarter.
At the start of the second quarter, Klein completed a pass to Jenkins for a 52-yard touchdown. Jenkins was almost tackled at around the 10-yard line, but he regained his balance and made it into the end zone. The Tigers were again unsuccessful in going for two, making the score 18-0 with 11 minutes left in the second quarter.
A short pass by Trinity was complete, but Klein tackled the receiver for a loss, setting up second-and-12. Union later sacked Schofield, with the Celtics eventually punting after needing more than 10 yards to pick up the first down. The Tigers took over at their own 31-yard line.
Simmons took a handoff and gained decent yardage, making it second-and-4. Simmons got the ball again, but was run out of bounds for a loss. Klein then picked up a lot of yardage on a keeper play to the Trinity 38. Klein kept the ball again for a 4-yard gain before then completing a pass to Williams, who was stopped at the line of scrimmage for no gain.
A pass to Bryan Tyson, with a measurement by the officials, resulted in a first down at the 28. Ivey then took a handoff and gained 8 yards before receiving the ball again and getting enough for a first down at the 14-yard line. Klein then completed a touchdown pass to Carter Whitehead, making it 24-0 with 5:26 left in the second quarter. The Tigers were stopped short on the two-point conversion.
With the ball back again, Klein gained enough for a first down at the Trinity 18. Simmons then took the ball in for a touchdown. The Tigers went for two and got it this time, making the score 32-0 with 3:15 left in the first half.
The Celtics returned Whitehead’s kickoff, with Whitehead making the tackle at the Trinity 45-yard line. Wyatt Lucas received a handoff and picked up decent yardage, setting up second-and-4. Union’s Alec McClellon made a tackle on the next play, but the Celtics got enough yards for a first down. After an incompletion, Schofield was sacked on second down by Klein and Ashton Newsom. Trinity would later go for it on fourth down, with a Celtics receiver coming down with a pass in the end zone for a touchdown with less than a minute to go in the first half. The extra-point kick was no good, making the score 32-6.
Trinity successfully attempted a field goal with three seconds left until halftime, making the score 32-9.
The Celtics kicked off to start the second half, with the Tigers starting a drive at their own 20. Simmons picked up a first down on a carry to the 32. He carried the ball again for an 8-yard gain, followed by Ivey picking up about 5 yards for another first down at the 46. Simmons picked up a lot of yardage on a run to the Trinity 23, but a holding penalty brought most of the play back. A fumble was then recovered by the Celtics at the Union 45-yard line.
After forcing Trinity to punt, the Tigers began a drive at their own 14-yard line. Runs by McClellon and Ivey set up third-and-2. A fumbled snap was recovered by the Tigers, bringing up fourth-and-inches. A Klein sneak was good enough for a first down at the 27.
A Simmons carry made it second-and-2. Edward Durant then got a carry, picking up a first down at the 44. Tyson took a handoff and went all the way to the Trinity 42 for another first down. After a 9-yard pass from Klein to Jenkins, Ivey got the handoff and gained enough for a first down. Jenkins then caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Klein. Union went for two and got it, making the score 40-9 with 4:48 to go in the third quarter.
The Celtics returned Whitehead’s kick to their own 41-yard line. A fumble on a bad snap was recovered by the Tigers’ Jaden McCray at the Trinity 30.
A Klein pass to Simmons was good enough for a first down at the 18. Tyson then caught a pass that was good for another touchdown. Whitehead kicked the extra point for a 47-9 lead.
Trinity, which began its next drive at its own 38, scored in two plays. With the extra point, the score was 47-16.
Colt Thomas entered the game at quarterback for the Tigers, who started a drive at their own 35. Thomas handed off to Wyatt Elixson, who took it to the 47-yard line for a first down. Eli Llanes then carried the ball for another first down at the Trinity 40. After a loss on first down, Bo Thomas carried the ball 25 yards to the 17-yard line. Elixson rushed for an 8-yard gain, with a dead-ball personal foul against the Celtics tacking on additional yardage for first-and-goal. Lanes carried the ball into the end zone for a touchdown. The extra point by Williams was good, making it 54-16 with 3:54 left in the game.
