The 2022 gridiron season was a difficult one for the Eagles of Trinity Christian Academy, as the team mustered a lone win and none in their new stadium.
On Friday, Sept. 1, TCA tied their win total from a year ago as they decimated Bishop Reicher, 39-0. The game was also at home, giving them their first win in the stadium that was unveiled last season.
The scoring fury started early as the Eagles put the ball in the end zone twice in the opening quarter. Quarterback Braxton Smith took the snap out of the shotgun and rolled to his left in search of an open receiver. Eyeing Jake Anderson on an out route a couple yards deep, Smith was hit as he threw across his body. A Bishop Reicher defensive back managed to get a hand on the pass as it sailed towards the goal line, but Anderson maintained focus as he stuck with the play, pulling down the pass for the first score of the game.
Minutes later Trinity Christian found paydirt once again from 10 yards out. Running a twin back set out of the shotgun formation, Smith handed the ball off to Pearson Kuykendall on a sweep to around the right side. Matthew Sykes sealed his block to the outside, opening the lane for Kuykendall to scamper into the end zone for the score.
In the second quarter the Eagles used a pair of defensive turnovers to create scoring opportunities. Defensive end Kadin James blew past his man on the o-line to pick the ball out of the quarterback’s hand as he turned to make the handoff. The fumble recovery by James gave the Eagles first-and-10 on the Bishop Reicher 29-yard-line.
Trinity Christian wasted no time converting the turnover opportunity into points on the board as Smith lobbed a pass to the end zone to hit his man over the top for the 29-yard alley-oop.
On the ensuing drive, Bishop Reicher’s QB dropped back to pass and immediately had pressure in his face. Hit as he threw, the pass floated in the air, allowing Owen Coates to make a play on the football. Coates secured the interception at the 50 before scrambling all the way to the goal line to put the Eagles up 33-0 heading into the half.
Coming out of the break, the Eagles faced a fourth-and-10 from the Bishop Reicher 20. Lined up in their twin back set out of the shotgun, Smith once again handed the ball off to Kuykendall on a sweep to the right side. Kuykendall found an open patch of grass around the outside of the line as he turned up field, easily picking up the first down without being touched. He turned on the jets, broke a pair of tackles, and toe-tapped along the sideline to stay in bounds just long enough to cross the goal line for the final score of the game.
Smith finished the game with 182 total yards (107 passing, 75 rushing). Anderson caught two passes for 34 yards and Kuykendall picked up 34 yards rushing on just three carries.
The defense was led by linebacker Jonathan Heep with 12 tackles, including two for a loss. Sykes also had an interception.
Next up on the schedule for the Eagles is a road trip to Houston on Friday, Sept. 8. Trinity will take on the hosting Northland Christian Cougars (1-1) at 6:30 p.m. Records for the two teams mirror each other, as both teams dropped their season opener on the road before winning shutouts at home in Week 2.
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