ANGOLA, Ind. – Trine University started the 2022 football season with a dominating and record-breaking defensive performance which saw the team start and finish the night with no points allowed. The offense added an explosive second quarter to lead the Thunder to a 38-0 victory.
The team allowed negative six rushing yards in the contest, the lowest single-game mark in program history, breaking the previous record of 13 yards allowed in a 2019 game against Finlandia. The defense allowed just five first downs in the game and held the opposition to under 100 yards passing the last time both happened was in the same 2019 game.
Trine won the coin toss and deferred to the second half allowing the Ravens to receive the opening kickoff. After a quick first down, the defense stymied the opposition to force a third and ten, with junior Jamon Gibson recording a sack to force the punt. It was the first of a near record-breaking tally, with the Thunder combining for seven total sacks in the game, tying for the second most in a single game for the program.
Both teams' next drives ended in interceptions. Senior Keysean Amison came up with the pick for the Thunder giving the offense a second chance starting at the Anderson 41-yard line.
This time the offense settled in and moved quickly down the short field. Senior Xaine Kirby finished off the drive with a 12-yard rush around the right side of the line. The team converted the extra point to make the score 7-0 with just under ten minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Both teams went scoreless during the final minutes of the quarter. The Thunder struggled to finish off drives and some key mistakes cost them dearly, including a muffed punt and a second interception. On the other side of the ball the defense continued to showcase their abilities. Amison recorded his second interception of the contest and the team allowed just 13 more yards to the Ravens.
During Anderson's first drive of the second quarter Trine recorded back-to-back sacks to force a third and 22, backed up near their own endzone. After a punt that just reached midfield, the Thunder offense found their footing again. This time senior Brett Kaylor led the offense down the field rushing for six yards and then passing for 38 yards. He connected with junior Connor Arthur for 20 of those yards and the touchdown.
The ensuing kickoff saw junior Braden Moore pin the opposition deep in their own zone when the ball checked up at the five-yard line rather than rolling in for the touchback. The defense nearly recorded a safety on the next play, but ultimately forced the Ravens to punt from the back of their own endzone.
A safe return was aided by a penalty to give the offense the ball at just the 13-yard line. Kaylor found Arthur in the back of the endzone on the first play of the drive to give the team the 21-0 lead with seven minutes remaining in the quarter.
The defense came up with another turnover in the next Anderson drive. On a third and nine play, multiple Thunder got a piece of the ball and it ended up falling into the hands of junior Skyler Warren who then returned the pick 21 yards into Ravens territory.
After the two teams traded possessions, Trine started their final drive of the half at their own 16. Kaylor proceeded to lead the longest drive of the contest, using 17 plays to move the ball 77 yards setting up a field goal as time expired. The team took the 24-0 lead into the intermission.
The Trine starters returned for the beginning of the third quarter, with Kirby and senior Alex Price leading the opening drive down the field on the ground. Junior Cole Alexander entered at quarterback with a jumbo, goal line package to finish off the drive with a two final rushes for the touchdown.
He did so again five minutes later, this time following a Kaylor and Kirby led drive to the one-yard line. The pair of touchdowns gave the team a 38-0 lead with just over seven minutes remaining in the quarter and would end up being the final points of the game with the score eventually going final. The rest of the game saw the Thunder continue to play lockdown defense, while young offensive student-athletes got valuable minutes on the field.
Eight different members of the team combined for the seven sacks in the contest. Gibson and Chase Herrick led the team with 1.5 sacks each while Trestan Kern, Tucker Hasselman, Chase Herrick, Dylan Back, Jacob Jackson, Kendall Himes and DeMarco Cooley each recorded at least half a sack.
Trine will travel to face the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in their next contest which is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10.
