PLYMOUTH — A win in Week One is just what the Traverse City Trojans were looking for. And it’s exactly what they found.
Central made the trip down to the Thumb to take on the Plymouth Wildcats, and the long bus ride back was made a little cheerier after a 22-14 victory.
“You just find a way to win,” Central head coach Eric Schugars said. “We’re a young team, and it’s Week One. I’m just super excited and proud of the kids. Varsity experience? We got that tonight in a variety of ways. A lot of guys contributed and stepped up. That’s the mark of a good team this early on.”
The Trojans (1-0) put together bookend scores, scoring one in the first quarter and two in the fourth. Scotty Goodwin returned a punt all the way to the house for a touchdown in the first, and Peyton Waller followed that up with a successful two-point conversion for the 8-0 lead.
The score remained that way until Carter Gle punched it in from two yards out for the score with 5:36 left in the fourth quarter. Grant Sivier connected on the extra point for the 15-0 lead over the Wildcats (1-0).
“That was huge for our offense,” Schugars said of the sustained scoring drive. “That’s what you need. Positive plays on a consistent drive, and then build off that.”
Plymouth responded with a touchdown of their own to make it 15-7 with 1:58 remaining, but Goodwin went house hunting again and paid with all cash on a 62-yard touchdown run. Sivier’s extra point made it 22-7 with just 1:27 left in the game.
But the Wildcats were not satisfied to just give in and give up.
Plymouth used two huge plays to find the end zone and make it 22-14 and then recovered the onside kick to throw a little more drama onto the outcome.
A holding penalty on the Wildcats wiped out a nice Plymouth gain on their first play, and a catch ruled down inbounds forced the Wildcats to burn their final timeout with 56 yards left to go and time for one last play.
Plymouth must have seen that new Firehouse Subs commercial because the Wildcats used the hook-and-ladder to nearly pick up all 56 yards, but the Trojans’ secondary made the clutch tackle to force the Wildcats out of bounds inside the 10 as time expired.
“We had our nerves and jitters early on, but we settled in,” Schugars said. “Our kids had to respond when (the Wildcats) came back, and they did. You don’t want to see it that close at the end, but our kids didn’t put their heads down or give up. They persevered on the road, and that’s a positive.”
Central finished with 206 yards on the ground on 31 carries, but the Trojans did not complete a pass in the game. The defense finished with three sacks and five tackles for a loss. Waller led with five tackles followed by Ryker Craig with 4.5 and Brady Ripmaster with 3.5.
The Trojans knocked off Plymouth in the season opener last year, winning 38-21 at home, but then lost three straight en route to a 4-6 season. The Trojans hope to avoid that same fate in 2024.
Central opens its home slate next week when Parma Western comes to Thirlby Field for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday.
BOYS SOCCER
TC West 3
Grand Haven 1
Traverse City West: Aidan Orth 2 goals, 1 assist; Linc Lockhart 1 goal; Jaiden Collins 1 assist; Camden Tkach 6 saves.
UP NEXT: The Titans (2-1-2) continue their play in the West Labor Day Showcase against Mason on Saturday.
TC Central 5
Reeths-Puffer 0
Traverse City Central: Asher Paul 3 goals, 1 assist; Alec Roeters 1 goal; Geordie Richmond 1 goal, 2 assists; Luca Santoro 1 assist; Caleb Byland 2 saves; Cole Herzberg 2 saves.
UP NEXT: The Trojans (3-1) head to Cadillac on Tuesday.
Alma 2
Elk Rapids 0
Elk Rapids: Caden Schlicker 9 saves.
UP NEXT: The Elks (2-3) host Harbor Springs on Tuesday.
CROSS COUNTRY
Trojans win big at Oiler Invite
MOUNT PLEASANT — The Traverse City Central Trojans won team championships in both the boys and girls divisions at the Oiler Invite in Mount Pleasant on Friday.
Jack Steen (16:18.11), Caleb Keller (16:24.52) and Ian Boss (16:44.88) finished one, two and three in the boys race to help lead Central to an overall title with 22 points. The Trojan girls took sixth through ninth place to edge out Midland Dow, scoring 43 points to Dow’s 48.
Lawrence Cubitt (sixth, 17:01.07) and Luke Byland (10th, 17:14.51) also helped the Trojans to the win.
Leading Central to the girls division title were Ariana Rajah (sixth, 20:24.59), Emily Truszkowski (seventh, 20:36.78), Kelly Comfort (eighth, 20:26.83), Sienna Cobb (ninth, 20:43.35) and Anabelle Sketch (13th, 21:03.42).
Cadillac’s Brooklynn Brown was the top area finisher in the girls division, placing second at 19:42.66.
Benzie girls win at Queen City Dale Phillips Invitational
MARQUETTE — Benzie Central is looking strong to start the cross country season as the Huskies’ girls team won the Queen City Dale Phillips Invitational in Marquette on Friday.
Senior Nora Grossnickle finished second in 20:31.4, and freshman Avery Kelly placed third in 20:31.8 to lead the Huskies to the win.
Nevia Chimonas (11th, 21:52.3), Ava Iverson (21st, 22:58.8) and Maggie McClelland (23rd, 23:08.5) finished as the Huskies’ third, fourth and fifth scorers as Benzie compiled 58 points to Marquette’s 65.
The Benzie boys finished in fourth with 119 points, led by Jackson Schaub (22nd, 18:50.3).
VOLLEYBALL
Vikings win home tourney
CADILLAC — The Cadillac Vikings swept the competition and improved to 7-1 overall after Friday’s home tournament.
Cadillac took down McBain (25-14, 25-20), Midland (25-22, 25-23), Morley Stanwood (25-20, 25-12) and Kingsley (25-21, 15-25, 25-23).
Leaders for the Vikings included Cassie Jenema (67 assists, 43 digs, 21 kills, 5 aces, 2 blocks), Sophie Clough (35 kills, 24 digs, 3 blocks, 2 aces), Kaylee Tweedale (17 kills, 4 blocks, 3 aces), Maddy Taylor (13 digs, 9 kills, 1 ace), Lydia Owens (7 kills, 7 aces, 6 digs, 1 block), Ari Bryant (47 digs, 14 assists), Chloe Lijewski (8 kills, 8 digs, 1 ace), Alivia Lorenz (16 digs, 3 assists, 1 ace) and Grace Zuback (18 digs, 3 assists).
Kingsley went 3-1 at the mini-tournament.
The Stags (6-3-2) defeated McBain (25-17, 25-16), Morley Stanwood (25-22, 25-20) and Midland (25-14, 25-17).
Kingsley was led by Jenna Middleton (45 kills, 21 digs), Olivia Reamer (21 kills, 4 aces), Sarah Wooer (98 assists, 43 digs), Isabelle Seitz (47 digs), Marisa Graham (11 kills, 2 blocks), Delaney Case (16 kills, 6 blocks), Aizlyn McKinley (13 kills, 10 aces), Alena Stewart (18 digs) and Hanna Curtis (16 digs, 4 aces).
FOOTBALL
Petoskey 8
Greenville 6
UP NEXT: The Northmen (1-0) host Bay City Western on Friday.
Standish-Sterling 33
Boyne City 14
UP NEXT: The Ramblers (0-1) travel to Elk Rapids on Friday.
8-PLAYER FOOTBALL
Suttons Bay 44
Mesick 18
UP NEXT: The Norsemen (1-0) host Bear Lake on Friday. The Bulldogs (0-1) travel to Baldwin on Friday.
Pellston 54
Forest Area 12
UP NEXT: Forest Area (0-1) heads to Inland Lakes on Friday.
Muskegon Heights 48
Brethren 16
UP NEXT: The Bobcats (0-1) host Grand Rapids Sacred Heart on Friday.