Triton Central

TC FOOTBALL HOLD OFF MONROVIA. Triton Central built a 21-point lead and then held on for dear life Friday night, defeating Monrovia 28-27 in a thrilling Hoosier Legends Conference matchup at home. The victory moves the Tigers to 3-4 overall and 2-3 in HLC play with two regular-season games remaining. Triton Central controlled the first three quarters, building a 21-0 lead before Monrovia finally got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter. The Tigers opened the scoring in the first quarter when Matthew Wilkins connected with Henry Kemper on a 13-yard touchdown pass. Wilkins added a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to give TC a 14-0 halftime advantage. Wilkins scored again on a 1-yard run in the third quarter, pushing the Tigers' lead to 21-0. Monrovia answered with a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 21-7 heading into the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter turned into a wild back-and-forth affair. Monrovia cut the deficit to 21-14 before TC answered with a huge play. Wilkins found Kemper for a 75-yard touchdown pass, putting the Tigers back in control at 28-14. The Bulldogs refused to go away, scoring twice more to pull within 28-27 as time expired. Monrovia attempted a two-point conversion for the win but failed, allowing the Tigers to escape with the one-point victory. Triton Central finished with 369 total yards, including 210 passing yards and 159 rushing yards. The Tigers picked up 19 first downs and converted 5-of-9 third-down opportunities. Wilkins completed 11-of-18 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 62 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Kemper hauled in 11 receptions for 201 yards and two touchdowns, including the 75-yard touchdown that proved to be a pivotal score in the fourth quarter. Tevian Faulkner led the Tigers' ground game with 24 carries for 91 yards, while Nolan Thompson added 20 yards on three carries. Defensively, Ty Bergman led TC with seven tackles and three assists. Weston Smith and Payton McKillop each recorded six tackles, with Smith adding five assists and a sack. Knox Coen added five tackles, two assists and a fumble recovery. The Tigers will now face one of their toughest tests of the season as they hit the road Friday night. Tigers Travel to Tri-West Triton Central will travel to take on Tri-West Friday night. The Bruins enter the matchup with a 5-2 overall record and a 4-1 mark in HLC play. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 PM. JV Tigers Fall at Monrovia The Triton Central JV football team fell to Monrovia 40-6 on the road Saturday, dropping the JV Tigers to 1-6 on the season. The JV Tigers will return home next Saturday when they host Tri-West. Kickoff is scheduled for 10 AM.