Football Preview Week Eight: Trenton vs. Kirksville

After a multiple week run of showing improvement, Trenton took a big setback in week seven with a 36-14 loss to South Harrison. With that debacle now squarely in the rearview mirror, Trenton turns its attention to a struggling Class 3 team in the Kirksville Tigers.
“We learned that you have to finish or capitalize on big plays,” Trenton Head Coach Brandon Boswell said of the loss in Bethany. “That’s something we failed to do. When you are on the four-yard line and you have four tries to get into the end zone, that is something you should be able to do. Once we made too many mistakes it was like our kids just couldn’t focus or come back from it. This week we’ve cut our playbook down even more, just trying to focus on a few plays and have our kids get better at those plays and see if that will give us a chance this Friday.”
In Kirksville, Trenton faces an opponent of Class 3 size, but one that has had its share of struggles this season. Kirksville is winless on the season and has yielded over 40 points twice in the previous three weeks.
That being said, Trenton proved in week six that a struggling Class 2 team can handle a struggling Class 1 team when it topped Princeton 61-12. This time Trenton will represent the smaller struggling school, going up a class to face Kirksville.
The Tigers run a variety of offensive plays out of a variety of sets. Trenton will have to be ready for nearly anything against the Tigers.
“They are kind of all over the place,” Boswell said. “They have had two different guys calling the offense this year, so they do a little bit of everything from two tight ends, I-formation to spreading you out and throwing a little bit. A lot of times they want to get the ball to McKenna Cook, their running back. He is a good player and he gave us a lot of problems last year. They are really young, though. Their quarterback is a sophomore, but a good size kid at about 6-3. They do have some targets he can throw to and their line has good size. Basically our defense has to be able to think quickly and adjust to certain things. They do a lot and they do some of it pretty well. Some of it they don’t do so well, but they still have plenty of kids who can hurt us, that is for sure.”
Trenton will look to take a step in the right direction Friday night as well as next Friday, when the team travels to Concordia for the final game of the regular season. Boswell still has plenty he would like to see the Bulldogs accomplish before beginning play in districts.
“I just want see us compete,” Boswell said. “I want to see games close and I want to see us have a chance to win. I want to see our kids come together and play together and unite a little bit better. I don’t want to notice us giving up. I don’t want to see our kids saying ‘well, it’s done.’ I want to see us improve and try to accomplish something like score more points or make plays better. I have seen teams, although there aren’t many, who have started clicking in the last few games and made a run. We have some kids who can make plays, but we have to get better everywhere if we are going to shock the world.”
Trenton and Kirksville will kick off from C.F. Russell Stadium in Trenton at 7 p.m. It will be Senior Night for the Bulldogs and seniors players, cheerleaders and band members will be honored prior to kickoff.

Offense
Rushing – Travis Leeper, 57 carries, 408 yards, 2 TDs; Bailey Owen, 52 carries, 319 yards, 3 TDs.
Passing – Dalton Ellis, 26-63, 381 yards, 6 TD, 6 int’s.
Receiving – Aaron Anderson, 12 catches, 256 yards, 3 TDs.

Defense
Tackles – Trey Shields, 90; Kail McCarter, 62; Gavin Griffin 39; Anderson 35.
Tackles For Loss – Griffin, 4; Austin Burkeybile, 2; Tucker Franklin, 2; Cree Mullenix, 2.
Sacks – Four tied at 1.
Interceptions – Anderson, 3; McCarter 3.

Starting Lineups
Trenton
Offense
QB 13 Dalton Ellis 5-10 158 Sr.
RB 11 Travis Leeper 5-11 154 Jr.
WB 25 Jonathan Lamp 5-11 163 Jr.
FB 16 Bailey Owen 5-11 153 Sr.
OT 74 Terrin Ellis 6-4 256 Sr.
OG 56 Trey Shields 6-1 169 Jr.
C 50 Tucker Franklin 5-7 225 Jr.
OG 54 Jeramiah Chipps 5-11 215 Sr.
OT 53 Nick Gass 6-0 189 Sr.
TE 24 Cree Mullenix 6-1 184 Jr.
WR 80 Aaron Anderson 6-1 161 Sr.

Defense
DE 50 Tucker Franklin 5-7 225 Jr.
NG 78 Ryan Hines 6-2 269 Jr.
DE 53 Nick Gass 6-0 189 Sr.
LB 11 Travis Leeper 5-11 154 Jr.
LB 24 Cree Mullenix 6-1 184 Jr.
LB 56 Trey Shields 6-1 169 Jr.
LB 21 Gavin Griffin 6-4 179 Sr.
LB 27 Austin Burkeybile 6-0 176 So.
CB 13 Dalton Ellis 5-10 158 Sr.
CB 80 Aaron Anderson 6-1 161 Sr.
FS 18 Kail McCarter 5-11 153 Jr.

Kirksville
Defense
DE 4 McKenna Cook 6-0 195 Sr.
DT 80 Kevin Kincannon 6-2 220 Sr.
DT 75 Bob Campbell 6-0 225 So.
DE 43 Devon Coulson 5-10 215 Sr.
LB 50 Morgan Maize 5-10 155 So.
LB 41 Joe Brawner 6-4 240 Sr.
LB 34 Marshall Cook 5-11 175 So.
CB 5 Brayton Glaspie 5-10 165 Jr.
SS 8 Joe Sollars 5-7 165 So.
FS 83 Jarrett Jacques 5-6 140 Fr.
CB 13 Dylan Lewis 6-7 155 Sr.

Offense
QB 10 Tanner Schilling 6-3 175 So.
RB 4 McKenna Cook 6-0 195 Sr.
RB 43 Devon Coulson 5-10 215 Sr.
RB 34 Marshall Cook 5-11 175 So.
OT 71 Michael Fehr 6-2 225 So.
OG 77 Justin Smiler 6-2 265 Jr.
C 70 Thomas Copeland 6-2 245 So.
OG 78 Colby Steele 6-2 255 So.
OT 41 Joe Brawner 6-4 240 Sr.
TE 80 Kevin Kincannon 6-2 220 Sr.
WR 83 Jarrett Jacques 5-6 140 Fr.