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The Troy Trojans hosted the Southern Columbia Tigers last Friday for the PIAA District IV title. The Trojans’ wall was finally breached by the Tigers who took away the title, 14-0.

The first half both teams took some time to get used to the weather-induced conditions, slipping and sliding their way up and down the field. Neither defense would budge an inch, with back and forth possessions going into the locker room.

In the third quarter, Troy’s Mason Smith back to receive the kickoff – broke through all but one of the Tigers on the return. But he was tripped up and couldn’t find his footing in the muck. The next play, however, the momentum shifted in the Tigers’ favor as Southern’s Louden Murphy wrestled down the ball for an interception.

Later in the quarter Southern started to find some daylight on the wet and muddy night, as they stuck to their run game – moving the chains closer and closer to the end zone. Then, Southern on the Trojan 5 yard line, Garrett Garcia made an outside run and leapt over the pylon, getting the first touchdown of the grueling game with only 42 seconds in the quarter.

Fourth quarter, Trojans fighting tooth and nail to the last, attempt to hold the Tigers out. They managed to stall Southern’s offense inside the red zone for 5 mins of game time. Finally, after three plays inside the 10, Garcia took the pigskin and launched himself over the pile of bodies and collided with the Trojan secondary just over the goal line. Isaac Carter’s extra point attempt was good and the Tigers led 14-0 with only 5:32 remaining in the ball game.

Southerns’ defense held the Trojans at 0 for rest of the night.

This concludes a very successful season for the Trojans, only giving up 14 points in the playoffs and ending the 2023 season 12-1.