Trinity dominates Annville-Cleona for District 3 Class 2A title

(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)

By Jeff Reinhart — LNP/Lancasteronline

ANNVILLE — The District 3 Class 2A football championship gold trophy is heading to Trinity. With authority.

The Shamrocks’ multi-purpose offense, flashing a quick-strike rushing attack that produced three 100-yard backs and 483 rushing yards, scored early and often as third-seeded Trinity dusted top-seeded Annville-Cleona 58-27 in the title game Saturday night.

It’s the third District 3 Class 2A crown for Trinity, which won titles in 2002 and 2010. The Shamrocks were playing in their fourth championship game, and KO’d A-C, which was making its first appearance in a D3 championship — one week after the Dutchmen dropped Camp Hill in the semifinals for their second D3 victory in program history.

Messiah Mickens (170 yards), Max Schlager (153 yards) and Christian Joy (113 yards) all rushed for 100-plus yards for the Shamrocks, and quarterback Caleb Wray went 6-for-6 for 107 yards with a TD toss as Trinity piled up 590 yards in all.

The Shamrocks will take on Philadelphia West Catholic in a PIAA opener next weekend.

“We knew they were good, and that they were going to be good,” A-C coach Matt Gingrich said. “And then they did a really good job with their blocking, and getting off of blocks. When those guys hit the seam, they’re gone. We weren’t catching them. All year I thought we did a really good job stopping other team’s strengths. We didn’t take away their strengths and they put up 58 (points).”

Trinity (8-4) wasted no time Saturday, going 57 yards in eight plays right out of the chute, capped off by Schlager’s 2-yard dive for a quick 7-0 lead. John Paukovits drilled a 24-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead, and Trinity roared to a 17-0 cushion when freshman phenom Mickens — who has a scholarship offer from Texas A&M in his back pocket — zoomed 83 yards for a TD early in the second quarter.

Annville-Cleona (8-4) finally dented the scoreboard midway through the second quarter when Cael Harter snapped off a 63-yard TD sprint. But Trinity punched right back. First, Wray lobbed a 51-yard TD pass to Cole Cappawana. And Joy capped the first half in style, barreling 70 yards for a score and the Shamrocks were up 31-7 at intermission.

Trinity tacked on in the third quarter, grabbing a commanding 38-7 lead when the Shamrocks held A-C on downs, and Schlager’s 1-yard dive capped another impressive scoring drive. Schlager struck again later in the third, busting loose for a 60-yard TD run as Trinity ran at will.

Mickens rumbled 44 yards for a back-breaking TD run with 11:17 to go in regulation for a 52-20 lead, and Cappawana darted 24 yards for a TD in the waning seconds in what turned out to be a track meet.

A-C hung around just after the half; 2,000-yard rusher Phoenix Music had a 30-yard TD run, and Harter jetted 30 yards for his second TD of the game to make Trinity sweat. Music capped the Dutchmen’s scoring with a 3-yard TD romp with 5:40 to go. Harter rushed for 178 yards and Music added 163 rushing yards for A-C.

“The silver lining for us is that our kids never gave up and they just wanted to be a part of something,” Gingrich said. “Our kids went from a three-win season to being here playing in a district final.”