General | August 29, 2024 | 19:11
Detroit – Thomas Laskowski said he was robbed.
The senior wide receiver from Southgate Anderson said he did have a third touchdown catch that would've given the Titans the victory. He was called out of bounds.
Undaunted, quarterback Jackson Sage went to the other side of the field and spotted Isiah Daviston from eight yards out with 12 seconds left to give the Titans a 27-26 victory over Trenton in the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Thursday at Tom Adams Field on the campus of Wayne State University.
"I think he was in-bounds too,'' said Sage, who completed just six of 17 passes, but for 176 yards and three scores.
"I know he (Daviston) is one of our better ones on the team. I knew he would be there. He ran a fade and was right where he was supposed to be.''
Laskowski had a 78-yard TD pass and a 34-yard score and came up with an interception to seal the game.
"I fell in bounds and they took the third from me, but I got the interception,'' said Laskowski. "My team rallied behind me, picked me up and we got a come-from-behind victory.''
The victory ruined a great effort by running back Ashton Rooney, who rushed for 233 yards on 22 carries.
"This has big league implications,'' said Southgate coach Bobby Marten. "The guys hung in there and made plays against a good Trenton team.''
Trenton took advantage of a short punt and scored in two plays on a 42-yard run by Rooney with 8:57 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.
Anderson struck right back on a 78-yard TD pass from Sage to Laskowski with 8 minutes left in the first quarter to tie the game 7-7.
Rooney responded again with a 21-yard TD run with 5:20 left in the first for a 14-7 lead.
Quarterback Andrew Hadad scored from five yards out to give the Trojans a 20-7 lead early in the second quarter.
Sage led an 87-yard drive for the Titans and bullied his way in from eight yards out to get Anderson to within 20-14.
Rooney fumbled the ensuing kickoff return and King Purvey recovered for Anderson at the 41 but the Trojans defense held as the Trojans kept a six-point halftime lead.
Trenton started a time-consuming drive to start the third quarter and faced with a fourth down and eight, but Rooney fumbled for the second time with the Trojans recovering but didn't gain a first down.
On fourth down the Titans gambled and Sage hooked up with Laskowski for the second time, this one from 34 yards, to give Southgate Anderson its first lead of the game, 21-20 with 10:29 to play.
Hadad scored from 11-yards out with 6:26 left but was stopped a yard short on the two-point conversion attempt to put the Trojans ahead 26-21.
With 5:28 left the Titans gambled in their own territory but Sage's pass fell incomplete to Deangelo Stewart before rallying.
"This was a good team win,'' said Laskowski. "It gives us momentum.''
