Trinity shuts down Frederick Douglass 23-13 for statement win

For the second consecutive week, Trinity senior safety Caleb Ricks celebrated a Shamrock victory by pleading the Shamrocks’ case as the No. 1 team in KSR’s Kentucky High School Football Top 25 Rankings.

The No. 3 ranked ‘Rocks, who were leapfrogged by No. 2 Frederick Douglass in last week’s KSR Top 25 Rankings, downed the Broncos 23-13 at The Farm Friday night to open the 2024 season 2-0.

The stout Trinity defense allowed just 135 total yards of offense while forcing four turnovers. It was a rough night offensively for Frederick Douglass, who converted just two of 12 third-down conversions.

“The expectations [for the defense] are way up here,” Trinity head coach Jay Cobb said postgame. “If you’re going to be a dominating team or defense, you have to do the details and do the little things.”

Both teams went scoreless on their opening drives, but the Shamrocks converted on a shanked Douglass punt to take an early lead with just over seven minutes remaining in the first quarter. Trinity sophomore quarterback Zane Johnson found wide receiver Kaleb Warner in the end zone for a 19-yard score, the duo’s second touchdown connection this season.

Trinity strikes first with this pass from Zane Johnson to Kaleb Warner.

Trinity 7
Frederick Douglass 0

7:25 left in the first quarter. pic.twitter.com/rdXvppMUYY

— Zack Geoghegan (@ZGeogheganKSR) August 31, 2024

The Broncos tied it up with 9:40 remaining in the second quarter on an 11-yard rushing touchdown by sophomore running back Dakari Talbert, but Trinity pulled out to a 13-point lead thanks to a Zane Johnson four-yard passing touchdown to Jamaurion Berry near the end of the first half and a seven-yard rushing touchdown from Berry with 6:39 remaining in the third quarter.

Shamrock kicker Carson Hilbert converted on a 31-yard field goal to push the lead to 16, and an interception by Trinity junior defensive back Sonny Bratcher Gray all but sealed the deal. Douglass quarterback Jaxon Strautman connected with Western Michigan commit senior wide receiver Aveion Chenault for a 30-yard touchdown with 3:34 remaining in the game, but it was too little too late.

Zane Johnson, who is now 13-3 as Trinity’s starting quarterback, discussed his performance postgame.

“I think we played alright. We have to clean up flags but we were preparing a lot this week because [Douglass] beat us last year in week two so we wanted to get that lick back this year.” The Louisville native passed for 83 yards and two touchdowns.

Johnson was being hunted all game by four-star Frederick Douglass EDGE rusher Cedric Works, who committed to Kentucky in June.

“We game planned for him a little bit,” Johnson said. “He didn’t play a couple drives, but he’s tall and has long arms and we saw his film. He likes to knock down passes, so we tried to keep his hands down when we are throwing. If we’re throwing his way, we can’t let him knock any balls down.”

With the win, Trinity opens its season with wins over two teams in KSR’s Top 25 Rankings (Bryan Station and Douglass). The Shamrocks have now won two of their three meetings against Frederick Douglass.