Trojans season ends early

It was an unfortunate early end to the season for the Whitehall/Harrison High School football team.

Trailing 20-0 with 1:29 left in the first quarter to Big Timber, the three sets of lights on the visitor's side of Trojans field shut off and moments later another set on the Whitehall side of the field would turn off. After nearly a 30-minute delay, a decision was made to cancel the game giving the Herders the win by forfeit.

While Trojans head coach Dan Lacey was not happy with the way his team started in the regular-season finale, he wanted them to have a chance to get back into the game.

"This is a very disappointing way to end the season. There are a lot of things you can control in the game of football, but this was not one of them. It was a very unfortunate event," he said.

Big Timber would start the game strong with a long touchdown run from Braedon Stosich to put the Herders up 6-0 with 10:12 left in the first quarter. Big Timber would score twice more in the quarter, the final touchdown of the game on a short Stosich run with 1:29 left in the first.

The Trojans were able to stop the Herders on their two-point attempt in what would be the final game of the season.

Shortly after the decision was made to call the game, Lacey said he was super proud of the way his seniors Gaten Wassberg, Mike Wilkinson, and Patyon King played throughout their careers and handled the adversity Friday.

"I didn't want them to have their careers end like this. There are so many what if's involved with this game," he said.

Lacey also credited longtime assistant Ed Simon who was coaching in his last game for the program.

With a wealth of returning players, Lacey is eager for the offseason.

"Tonight was unfortunate, but we will move on and we will get better," he said.

Whitehall finished the season with a 3-6 record and were 1-5 in conference play.