***Kendall Vincent is a participant of The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.
In a heart-stopping showdown, the Titans emerged victorious against the Princeville Princes Friday with a final score of 28-27.
The game was a rollercoaster of plays, showcasing fierce competition and outstanding performances from both teams.
The first quarter kicked off with the Princes striking first, scoring a touchdown and successfully converting the point after touchdown to lead 7-0.
However, with just 3:24 left in the first quarter, Titans’ running back Devon Horrie made a decisive run into the end zone, followed by the extra point from Jonathan Torres, leveling the score at 7-7.
As the second quarter began, Horrie continued to shine, running in another touchdown and Torres adding the PAT to give the Titans a 14-7 lead.
The Princes, determined not to be outdone, scored a touchdown momentarily, which was taken away due to an illegal man downfield penalty. Undeterred, they quickly regrouped and found the end zone again, tying the game at 14-14.
The game’s turning point came late in the second quarter when Brody Childs made an impressive return after recovering from a broken collarbone just one week prior. Childs powered through the defense to score a touchdown, and with Torres converting the PAT, the Titans took a 21-14 lead into halftime.
The third quarter saw the Princes come out strong, scoring another touchdown and converting the extra point to tie the game at 21-21. Their defense was relentless, even securing an interception to shift the momentum in their favor.
As the fourth quarter unfolded, tension filled the air. The Titans, refusing to back down, regained possession and looked to take the lead.
With grit and determination, Childs ran in another touchdown late in the quarter, putting the Titans ahead 28-21 after a successful PAT by Torres.
With just 1:02 left on the clock, the Princes struck back, scoring yet another touchdown to narrow the gap to 28-27.
With the game on the line, they opted for a two-point conversion to try and steal the victory. However, Titans defenders Collin Hodge and Riley Rumbold rose to the occasion, thwarting the attempt and securing the Titans’ narrow win.
Head Coach Tony Gripp was ecstatic for this big stop.
“The defensive stop was huge for us,” Gripp said. “We lost a couple close games this year, and to finish one out at the end like that was good for us mentally as we head into the playoffs.
“Our players handled the pressure great. The offense drove down, and scored in the 4th quarter with a long drive and although the defense gave up a score they did not get rattled and stopped the 2 point attempt.
“We recovered the onside [kick] and Brody broke one loose but purposely slid knowing we could kneel the clock out which was a very heads-up play by him to seal it.”
The Titans celebrated a hard-fought victory, while the Princes fought valiantly, leaving everything on the field.
This thrilling matchup certainly set up both teams for playoff play. The Titans are hopeful and ready to continue pushing themselves each week.
