Trojans have eye on playoffs

With three games left in the regular season, the Whitehall/Harrison High School football team has their eye on the playoffs. Following a 40-8 set back last Friday night at home against Townsend, the Trojans will need to win two to qualify for the postseason.

The Trojans (2-4, 1-2 Southern B) will look to pick up the first of those victories and notch their second conference win Friday night in a rivalry matchup at Jefferson High School (1-5, 0-4) in Boulder.

"We need two more wins. The life of the playoffs is still there and we want to punch our ticket on that card. You know there are a lot of people that don't think we can get the job done with all the injuries and adversity we have faced, and we want to prove those people wrong," head coach Dan Lacey said. "We are going to keep scrapping and see if we can get that spot in the playoffs."

It looked like a positive start Friday night for Whitehall would took the opening kickoff and marched deep into Bulldogs territory led by the hard running of Evan Wagner and key passes from Connor Johnson to Cade Briggs.

Unfortunately, the Johnson was stopped on a fourth and goal play at the half yard line that ended the drive.

Townsend would proceed to take the ball down the field and scored the first points of the game on a 12-yard Tyson Racht touchdown to put them up 7-0 with 1:22 left in the opening quarter.

Lacey said the results of the opening two drives in the game were disappointing.

"You work hard with a 13-play drive and just cannot punch it in on play 14. That is what good teams do. Townsend kept us out of the end zone and they drove 99 yards and scored on us. If they would have been chasing points right off the bat, their game plan changes. If you score right way it changes what they do," he said.

On their second possession of the game the Trojans would once again march deep into Bulldogs territory before Kameron Rauser intercepted a Connor Johnson pass in the end zone.

Townsend would score twice in the second quarter to take a 20-0 halftime lead. They would start of the second half with two more scores before Johnson was able to connect with freshman Brendan Wagner on a 26-yard strike to cut the lead to 40-6 with 4:04 left in the game. Whitehall would score moments later on a safety.

Following the game, Lacey said his team had their shots especially in the first half with the ball inside the Townsend 20 on multiple occasions.

He credited several players who stepped into new positions due to key injuries and suspensions.

Lacey said Steven Japhet had played offensive line for 3.5 years and stepped in to play receiver.

"He was able to catch a couple balls and do some good things for us," Lacey said.

He also praised Evan and Brendan Wagner for their play.

"I can't say enough about Evan stepping in for Sawyer (Keener) and Tegan (Robbins) who were injured. He did a great job carrying the ball for us. Brendan can be a really special player for us. He just needs to stay committed and get some offseason work in. He could be another one of the great receivers we've had in Whitehall," Lacey said.