BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Trine University football team recorded their first loss of the season in the first meeting between the team and Illinois Wesleyan University.
The Titans dominated the early portion of the game, building a 21-0 lead with 10:12 remaining in the first half.
The ensuing drive for the Thunder found the offense finally string together some success. Macrae Thompson opened the drive with a nine-yard run before RJ West II followed with one of his own. West then found Zack Pillow for a 17 yard reception that moved the team into the offensive side of the fifty.
The next two passes went to freshman Keydrick Powell. The first moved the ball 25 yards down the field and into the redzone. The second was an 11-yard touchdown. After the successful extra point, the team trailed 21-7.
The defense came away with a takeaway on the next drive, giving the offense a chance to make it a one-score game. John McKeown picked the pass, which came on an overthrow down the near sideline.
Trine failed to score and the next drive by the Titans was much more successful. The defense may have bent but they didn't break. The squad forced three incompletions and Illinois Wesleyan kicked the 47-yard field goal to make the score 24-7 for the intermission.
After a quick defensive stop to start the second half, the Thunder offense came out running. Saleem Felder took the team 17 yards down the field, before West found the edge and went 51 yards for a touchdown. After the extra point the score was 24-14 with 12:14 remaining in the third quarter.
The teams traded touchdowns on the next two drives. Chase Cromartie completed a fourth down pass to Pillow for the Thunder tally, then completed another pass on a two-point try to make the score 31-22.
Zy'Ion Jones-Anderson came up with an interception on the next drive with West returning to the game to rush 49 yards into the redzone. Felder followed up by taking the ball to the three yard line for the end of the quarter. It took another fourth down conversion, but West scrambled into the endzone to make the score 31-29, after an extra point kick.
The Titans scored the next two touchdowns of the game, taking a 45-29 lead with just 1:39 remaining on the clock. West did lead one last touchdown drive, scampering home for his third rushing tally of the day, but the onside kick attempt failed and the home team ran out the clock.
West led the offensive attack, both on the ground and in the air. He finished with 184 passing yards while going 13-for-25 with a touchdown and two interceptions. He added 147 rushing yards and the three touchdowns.
On defense, Xavier Compton and Kanye Tucker both led the team with eight tackles. Emil Drake was second with seven.
Trine finishes the day 1-1 following the loss. They will now turn their attention to next Saturday, September 19 when they travel to face Bluffton University. That game is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m.
