Tippecanoe’s Jackson Davis catches the game-winning touchdown pass against Troy Friday night at Troy Memorial Stadium.
Photos Provided by Lee Woolery/Speedshot Action Photos
Troy’s Michael Tucker eludes Tippecanoe’s Dylan Herndon as he heads upfield Friday night.
Photos Provided by Lee Woolery/Speedshot Action Photos
Tippecanoe’s Will Strong heads upfield after catching a pass Friday night against Troy.
Photos Provided by Lee Woolery/Speedshot Action Photos
Troy’s Aiden Kirkpatrick races into the end zone with a touchdown Friday night.
Photos Provided by Lee Woolery/Speedshot Action Photos
Troy’s Creighton Verceles races downfield as Tippecanoe’s Max Howard closes in Friday night.
Photos Provided by Lee Woolery/Speedshot Action Photos
TROY — The Troy football team left it all out the field Friday night against unbeaten Tippecanoe at Troy Memorial Stadium.
The Trojans overcame mistakes and rallied from an early 17-6 deficit.
But, Tipp made a big play when it needed it to escape with a 25-22 victory in MVL action.
Tipp, 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the MVL, will host Vandalia-Butler Thursday night.
Troy, 2-3 overall and 2-2 in the MVL, will travel to Alexander Stadium/Purk Field Friday night to play Piqua.
After Cameron Stoltz booted a 43-yard field goal with 5:51 to go in the game, Troy led 22-17.
But, Tipp receiver Jackson Davis started and finished the game-winning drive.
He took the kickoff near the goal line and returned it to the Tippecanoe 40-yard line.
The drive started with a 33-yard pass to Cade Havill from Larkin Thomas.
But, Tipp some found themselves in first-and-30 from the Troy 32-yard line.
On third-and-24 from the Troy 26-yard line, Thomas threw a strike in the end zone to Davis an the two connected on the the two-point conversion to make it 25-22 with 2:54 remaining.
Troy, with no timeouts, started on its own 27 and advanced to midfield, before being set back by penalties and the clock would run out.
Tipp would open the game by going 80 yards in 15 plays, with Thomas running it in from two yards out. Owen Baileys kick made it 7-0.
Troy would answer with a 71-yard drive.
Quarterback Aiden Kirkpatrick would find Kayden Franklin for a 19-yard touchdown, but the PAT was blocked leaving Tipp up 7-6.
Tipp would go up 14-6 with 7:27 remaining in the half when Xavier Melton ran it in from one-yard out for the touchdown and Baileys kick made it 14-6.
Troy was called for unsportsmanlike conduct on both the TD and PAT, allowing Tipp to kickoff from Troy 30-yard line.
The onside kick was recovered by Havill at the Troy 19 and would lead to a 20-yard field goal by Baileys to make it 17-6.
Troy answered with an 80-yard TD drive.
Kirkpatrick connected with Aiden Gorman for 34 yards and Franklin for 16 yards before throwing a 5-yard TD pass to Zach Ullery with 19 seconds left in the half. Stoltz’s PAT kick made it 17-13 at the break.
With 5:38 remaining in the third quarter, Kirkpatrick ran 24 yards for the score to give Troy a 19-17 lead, but the two-point PAT failed.
Tipp missed a field goal on its next drive and the was in Troy territory on its next possession when Gorman intercepted a pass.
The led to the 43-yard field goal by Stoltz, before Tipp rallied for the win.
Thomas completed 21 of 32 passes for Tipp for 276 yards.
Davis had eight catches for 114 yards, Dylan Herndon had five catches for 62 yards and Will Strong had four catches for 43 yards.
Thomas led the rushing attack with 38 yards on 10 carries.
Collin Isaac led the defense with 19 tackles, Gavin Newburg had 15 tackles and Riley Nicholls added 10 tackles.
Kirkpatrick was 16 of 20 passing for Troy for 148 yards.
Gorman had three catches for 44 yards, Franklin had four for 42 yards and Michael Tucker had five for 31 yards.
Kirkpatrick led the rushing attack with 129 yards on 26 carries.
Liam Evilsizor and Creighton Verceles led the defense with eight tackles each.
Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]
