The Lexington Minutemen appear to be a football team poised and ready to take a run at Higginsville’s recent dominance in the Missouri River Valley Conference’s eastern division, after back-to-back shutouts to start the 2016 football season.
On Friday night at C.F. Russell Stadium in Trenton, Kyle Barkley’s Minutemen fought through a stern Bulldog effort early, 3 1/2 hours of lightning delay, and a second half that went past midnight, in a 38-0 win that pushes Lexington to 2-0, and drops Trenton to 0-2.
Lexington’s Ryan Neer had an outstanding night kicking, making all five extra points and a second quarter field goal of 29 yards, for the Minutemen. Trenton’s run defense continues to be the strength of the Bulldogs, but THS buckled in the second half, giving up three touchdowns in quick fashion, watching the lead expand from 10-0 to 31-0. A fourth quarter touchdown by senior running back Warren Shepherd completed the scoring.
Sophomore speedster Alvaro Porras returned the opening kickoff of the game 91 yards for a touchdown, and added a long scoring run in the third quarter.
Trenton’s offense, in the first half of the game, played between 7 and 8 PM, showed brief moments of good play against the Lexington defense, with junior quarterback Lathan Croy, in particular, finding alleys on the triple option for sizable gains. However, in a second half played between 11:30 PM and 12:20 AM, the Bulldog offense was dominated by Lexington, with the Minutemen adding a touchdown defensively on a sack-fumble of Croy that was returned for a 17 yard score by linebacker Trey Kaullen. Quarterback Reese Gassen started the third quarter onslaught with a 3 yard plunge through the middle of the Trenton defensive line. Trenton’s offense lost four fumbles to the Lexington defense, including one on the Minutemen 15 yard line (in the first half) that thwarted the best chance for THS points all night.
Trenton, at 0-2, is one of five schools in the Grand River Conference’s eastern division going into conference play winless this week. Other 0-2 teams are Milan, Princeton, South Harrison, and Putnam County, the Bulldogs Week 3 opponent at C.F. Russell Stadium. Polo is the only unbeaten GRC East team, at 2-0, while Gallatin and Maysville are both 1-1 through non-conference play. This week, Putnam County is at Trenton on Hot Country Z 101.7, with Princeton at Milan on KTTN FM 92.3, Maysville at Gallatin, and Polo at South Harrison.
Here is the Week #2 high school football scoreboard:
Lexington 38, Trenton 0 (KGOZ FM 101.7)
South Callaway 39, Milan 0 (KTTN FM 92.3)
North Platte 46, Princeton 12
Lathrop 43, South Harrison 6
Maysville 12, Mid-Buchanan 7
West Hancock (IL) 44, Putnam County 6
Penney 47, Gallatin 0
Polo 69, Slater 26
Chillicothe 42, Kirksville 7
Lawson 35, Higginsville 8
Plattsburg 27, Lincoln Prep 18
Bishop LeBlond 8, East Buchanan 0 (OT)
Wellington-Napoleon 36, West Platte 6
Brookfield 28, Highland 18
Marceline 42, Knox County 8
Excelsior Springs 41, Cameron 6
Harrisonville 22, Savannah 0
Benton 20, Grain Valley 7
Maryville 36, St. Pius X 0
Lafayette 18, Central 12 (2 OT’s)
8-MAN:
Braymer 38, Pattonsburg 20
Stanberry 38, Albany 0
Worth County 88, North Shelby 6
King City 42, Norborne/Hardin-Central 0
North Andrew 30, St. Joseph Christian 12
Mound City 50, Stewartsville 0
East Atchison 34, North-West Nodaway 26
Chilhowee 62, DeKalb 20
Rock Port 48, Platte Valley 0
South Holt / Nodaway-Holt 21, SW Livingston 6 (suspended with 3:57 left in 2nd quarter, reminder to be played on Monday)
