Eleven Greenville seniors take the field for their final football game wearing the Green and White.
The Green Wave dropped a 24-13 MVL Senior Night football game to the visiting Troy Trojans.
“We gave them everything we have,” said Greenville coach, Bart Schmitz. “We didn’t leave anything for chance – I can tell you that.”
“I am so proud of our seniors,” continued Schmitz. “A lot of things didn’t go our way this year for whatever reason but they always fought, they always stuck together and what you are seeing out here on their final lap is why that group is special.”
Troy took advantage of a 10 play 80 yard first quarter drive to lead 7-0 at 2:09 in the opening period of play.
Greenville battle back to knot the score at 7-7 with a 35 yard second quarter Brock Short touchdown run with Avery Ernst’s PAT kick splitting the uprights with 11:26 on the board. The 6-play TD drive used up 2:43 on the game clock.
Before the end of the first half, Troy put together a 13 play 53 yard drive ending with a 26 yard Trojans field goal sending the teams to the break with Troy leading 10-7.
The visitors got the game’s lone third quarter score recovering a blocked Wave punt in the end zone to push its lead to 17-7.
Greenville answered with a fourth quarter 36 yard Brock Short touchdown run to trail 17-13 with the PAT kick wide of the mark.
Troy would score one final time in the fourth for a final 24-13 win.
“When you have to punch it in, for whatever reason we just couldn’t,” said Coach Schmitz. “We have one game left. We are going to continue to try and get better and see what we can do against Tipp next week.”
Greenville won the battle of total yards with 280 yards to Troy’s 268 yards. Greenville outrushed Troy 182 yards to 162 yards while Troy was 106 yards through the air to Greenville’s 98 passing yards.
Greenville’s Short led all rushers with 166 on the ground including 2-touchdowns.
Ryan Crampton led Greenville with 13 tackles, Million Bryant had 7 tackles, and DJ Zimmer and Dominick Baker each accounted for 4 tackles.
Greenville seniors playing their final home game for the Green and White: Dominick Baker, Jacob Barr, DJ Zimmer, Nolan Curtis, Alex Baumgardner, Hayden Bush, Michael Crampton, Million Bryant, Taylor Gardner, Jason Byrum, Truman Nicholas and Jordan Gump.
