TROY — The Troy football team has proven they can play with anyone in the MVL.

The unbeaten teams in the conference —Tippecanoe and Xenia — both found that out when they visited Troy Memorial Stadium.

Tipp needed a game winning drive two weeks ago and it took Xenia everything it had to remain unbeaten Friday night, escaping Troy with a 21-18 win.

Xenia, 7-0 overall and 6-0 in the MVL ,will host Piqua Friday night.

Troy, 3-4 overall and 3-3 in the MVL, will travel to Stebbins Friday night.

Even after Xenia put together a 68-yard drive early in the fourth quarter to open the first double-digit lead, Troy answered back quickly.

Xenia quarterback Gavin McManus found Trimonde Henry for a 26-yard touchdown on third and four from the Troy 26 and Sean Leonard kicked the PAT to make it 21-10 with 9:57 remaining.

After the kickoff, Troy went 80 yards in four plays.

An 18-yard run by Dakota Manson — with a five-yard facemask penalty tacked on — moved the ball to the Troy 45.

On the next play, Michael Tucker got behind the Xenia defense and Aiden Kirkpatrick found him for a 55-yard TD. Kayden Franklin battled his way into the end zone on the two-point play to get Troy within 21-18 with 8:28 remaining.

But, the Trojans would never get the ball back.

Xenia running back Deaunte White run the ball on 14 straight plays after Xenia started on its own 18 and the Bucs were able to run the clock out.

The game had begun with Xenia putting together a 13-play, 80 yard drive in which they converted thrid and 13 and third and 12 on the drive with passing plays.

On third-and-three from the Troy 11, White ran it into the end zone and Leonard’s kick put Xenia up 7-0 with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter.

But, the Trojans defense kept Xenia out of the end zone for the rest of the first half.

Late in the first half, the Trojans were able to put together a drive to tie the game.

Troy went 11 plays in 67 yards on the drive.

Manson had an 18-yard run to move the ball into Xenia territory.

On second-and-20 from the Xenia 28, Kirkpatrick found Troy tight end Karson York — with no defender located in the same zip code — and York hauled in the pass and raced into the end zone.

Cameron Stoltz was not allowed to kick the PAT — so, Kirkpatrick came in and booted it through with less than a minute remaining in the half to make it 7-7 at the break.

On its first possesson of the second half, Xenia went 86 yards in 10 plays.

McManus completed a 14-yard pass to Henry to move the ball to the Troy 18 and White ran it in on the next play.

Leonard’s kick made it 14-7 with 6:29 remaining in the third quarter.

It looked Troy would answer with an 80-yard touchdown drive.

Kirkpatrick had a 30-yard run on the drive and three consecutive runs by him had Troy in a third-and-goal from the one.

Kirkpatrick pitched the ball to Franklin, who was swarmed in the Troy backfield and dropped at the four-yard line. Stoltz would kick a 21-yard field goal to make it 14-10 with 1:11 remaining in the third quarter.

Both teams would score touchdowns on their next drives, before Xenia was able to run eight-plus minutes off the clock to seal the win.

Kirkpatrick was 4-for-5 passing for 86 yards and led the rushing attack with 14 carries for 87 yards.

Manson added 63 yards on eight carries.

Braden Boyer led the defense with eight tackles and Logan Westerfield and Griffin Shepherd had seven tackles each.

McManus completed 14 of 15 passes for 160 yards, with Henry catching nine passes for 114 yards.

White had 204 yards rushing on 38 carries.

Ronnie Butler recovered fumble for Xenia and had nine tackles.

Laithan Partee led the defense with 10 tackles and Tyler Thompson had seven tackles.

Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]