Southwood Pulls Away Late, Downs Valley For Outright TRC?Title
Southwood Pulls Away Late, Downs Valley For Outright TRC?Title
Posted
Ryan Villanueva-
Southwood Pulls Away Late, Downs Valley For Outright TRC?TitleAKRON – Entering their last regular season game of the 2019 campaign, the Tippecanoe Valley Vikings football team was presented with an opportunity to earn a share of the Three Rivers Conference championship. In their way stood the undefeated Class 1A No. 3 Southwood Knights.
Going into the postseason with a conference title share would give the Vikes a big boost in momentum.
But the Vikings turned the ball over six times as Southwood was able to pull away for a 21-7 victory Friday night at Smith-Bibler Memorial Field.
“This one goes down as one of the most frustrating losses I’ve had as a head coach so far, I’ll be honest with you,” said Tippecanoe Valley head coach Steve Moriarty. “I wanted to be aggressive and I wanted to win this game.”
Holding on to the football seemed troublesome for both Valley and Southwood. The Knights turned over the ball twice and fumbled four times, recovering three of them.
Viking senior quarterback Tanner Trippiedi completed eight passes on 20 attempts for 128 yards and one touchdown to four interceptions for Valley. Trippiedi was also the team-leading rusher with 40 yards on 10 carries.
For the Knights, quarterback Alex Farr completed 12 of his passes on 20 attempts for 177 yards with touchdown and an interception. Tristin Hayslett led the ground game with 63 yards on 14 carries and a score.
After a scoreless first quarteer, Southwood broke the ice with a 70 yard pass play from Farr to Dawson Filip to get the Knights out to a 7-0 lead.
Still tailing by that one touchdown going into the fourth quarter, Valley found its way onto the scoreboard, with Trippiedi completing a 24 yard pass to Jalen Potter to tie things up. But on the Vikes’ next possession, they found themselves pinned deep in their own territory.
Southwood’s Dillion Filip blocked a punt and recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. Less than a minute later, Valley turned the ball over to the Knights and Hayslett iced the game with a 28-yard touchdown run.
Next week, the Vikings look to make their run in the sectionals as they head to South Bend to take on the Washington Panthers at School Field.
“You cannot let this (loss) set in and hurt us for the rest of the season,” said Moriarty. “I think we have a very good opportunity and a good draw in the sectionals to make a bit of run, and I think the kids want it.
“They’re just as disappointed as us coaches; they gave everything they had. These are a good group of players and we will be ready for South Bend Washington.”
SOUTHWOOD 21,
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 7
S 0 7 0 14 – 21
TV 0 0 0 7 – 7
S – Alex Farr 70 pass to Dawson Filip (Jackson Simons kick)
TV – Tanner Trippiedi 24 pass to Jalen Potter (Domingo Santiago kick)
S – Trippiedi punt blocked, recovered by Dillion Filip (Simons kick)
