The Troy sidelines goes crazy after Cameron Allison (51) ran for a touchdown Friday night in a 26-7 win over Stebbins at Troy Memorial Stadium in D-II playoff action.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy’s Devon Strobel uses a stiff arm to create space on a fake punt Friday night against Stebbins.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy’s Creighton Verceles (12) and Cam’ron Couch (26) celebrate after a safety Friday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy’s Dakota Manson extends the ball towards the goal line on a 34-yard TD run Friday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy’s Marcus Cavanaugh makes a tackle from behind Friday night against Stebbins.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy’s Hunter Sekas follows the block of Riley Poland Friday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy’s Noah Miller makes a tackle Friday night against Stebbins as Creighton Verceles closes in.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
TROY — The Troy football defense dominated from the start.
And the Trojans did more than enough for a 26-7 victory over Stebbins Friday night in D-II, Region 8 first-round playoff action.
The Trojans, 10-1, will host 9-2 Lima Senior Friday night at Troy Memorial Stadium in regional quarterfinal action.
The Spartans defeated Xenia 42-32 Friday night.
Troy put together a 67-yard drive after the opening kickoff to take a 7-0 lead.
The drive lasted nine plays.
Devon Strobel ran 14 yards down to the two-yard line and punched it in himself on the next play.
Cameron Stoltz added the PAT kick.
Troy would add to the lead midway through the second quarter.
A 15-yard run by Dakota Manson and consecutive nine-yard runs by Aidan Gorman moved the ball down to the seven-yard line.
The Trojans went backwards from there, but the big leg of Stoltz came through with a 42-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 7:15 remaining in the first half.
The score would stay that way, despite a blocked punt by Logan Ullery.
On Stebbins’ third possession of the second half, the Indians found themselves in a third-and14 from the 9-yard line.
Creighton Verceles would sack Stebbins quarterback Devin McCormick for a safety to make it 12-0.
Following the free kick, Troy took over on the Stebbins 34-yard line and Dakota Manson broke through the line on the first play and went all the way to the end zone. Stoltz’s PAT kick made it 19-0 with 2:21 remaining in the third quarter.
On Troy’s next possession, Aiden Kirkpatrick hooked up with Manson for a 32-yard pass play on third and 12 to move the ball to the nine-yard line.
On second-and-goal from the 10-yard line, lineman Cameron Allison lined up as fullback and rumbled around the left side all the way to the end zone for the touchdown.
Stoltz’s PAT kick made it 26-0 with 10:43 to go in the game.
Allison could be heard yelling in elation, “What the heck just happened” in elation as he came off the field.
Stebbins, who had less than 40 yards in the first three quarters, was able to get the final score of the game on a 5-yard run by RayVon Harris. Devin Homan added the PAT kick for the final margin.
Manson led a balanced rushing attack with 53 yards on 11 carries and had two catches for 38 yards.
Miller led the Trojan defense with nine tackles and Verceles had a big game with eight tackles, including 3.5 for loss.
Kaden Zimmer added seven tackles.
McCormick was able to complete nine passes for 89 yards for the Indians, with Deshawn Cunningham catching six passes for 49 yards. Harris had three catches for 31 yards.
But, the Troy defense limited Stebbins to 27 yards rushing on 22 carries.
Cunningham and Haiden King intercepted passes and Kaden Krivacek forced a fumble recovered by Thomas Hart.
Hart led the defense with nine tackles and Lavell Lyles had seven tackles.
Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]
