Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Troup had no problems in its region opener, cruising to a dominant 56-7 victory over Whitewater on the road Friday night. 

“I’m really satisfied with the performance,” Troup coach Tanner Glisson said. “Those guys like to come out fast with their offense and we were able to get them three and out on multiple occasions.”

This win could prove to be very costly for the Tigers as they lost starting quarterback Taeo Todd to an injury right before the end of the first half. Todd did not come out in the second half or participate in the postgame handshake and could be seen receiving ice on his lower leg.

Todd went to work before departing with an injury, leading the Tiger offense down the field on their opening drive after the Troup defense forced a three and out on the Wildcats opening possession.

“We don’t know where it is at the moment,” Glisson said. “We will have him looked at in the morning, and hopefully we will have a clearer picture then.”

Javari Fannin finished the Tigers opening drive with a touchdown. 

The defense and offense continued to move in unison with the defense getting the offense the ball and the defense delivering with points.

Troup doubled its lead later in the first quarter when Todd shimmied his way into the end zone on a short run.

The Tigers took a 21-0 lead on the last play of the first quarter as Ashton Williams took a carry over 50 yards to the house.

Williams had a monster game and had another 50+ yard touchdown run when he scampered into the end zone from 64 yards out to give Troup a 48-7 on the first play for the fourth quarter to give the Tigers a 48-7 lead.

“The run game looked really good,” Glisson said. “We were opening some holes, but our backs were running the ball extremely hard.”

After Todd got injured with 59 seconds to go in the first half, Logan Sinkfield came in and went to work.

The Swiss Army player who regularly lines up at wide receiver and defensive back didn’t miss a beat at quarterback.

He had the next three touchdowns for the Tigers after Todd went out of the game, scoring on runs of 10 yards, 72 yards and 42 yards.

“We have total confidence in Sinkfield that he can come in there and run our offense,” Glisson said. “He has played quarterback for us in a lot of games when we get up big and that game experience will come in handy for him.”

The Tigers deployed their bench in the fourth quarter as a running clock showed the Wildcats mercy.

Third-string quarterback Garrison Edwards decided to get in on the fun, running the ball into the end zone from 67 yards out with 40 seconds left in the game to put an exclamation mark on the Troup win.

The Troup defense, which led 4A in points allowed per game, had another stellar performance on Friday night, allowing just seven points, all of which came long after the outcome was no longer in doubt.

“I think the defense gave the offense the shot in the arm they needed tonight,” Glisson said. 

“We simplified things from last year. The guys are really understanding what we are asking them to do.”

Troup (4-0) starts off region play 1-0. The Tigers will host Starr’s Mill next Friday for another critical region game.

“We knew we were going to have a team coming in, but I think the thing I’ve learned most about this team is how they practice,” Glisson said. “We really work hard in practice and that gives us an edge on Friday nights.

“I think this the best team in terms of getting after it at practice that we’ve ever had.”