The Gallatin football Bulldogs have lately become accustomed to unusual endings, and Friday night’s climactic finish fit the bill.
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For the second week in a row, Gallatin’s defense lined up in the game’s final minute against an opponent needing to pick up 19 yards in order to keep a drive alive. Trenton, trailing, 14-12, but driving into Gallatin territory, faced third down and long after a Jared Williams tackle of running back Hunter Dugan for a loss.
Quarterback Lathan Croy dropped back to pass and saw primary receiver Colton Colston drawing man-to-man coverage on a deep slant. Croy’s pass was long and both receiver and defender stumbled and fell near Gallatin’s sideline. The sideline official closest to the play threw a delayed flag and called Gallatin for pass interference, a call that would place the ball first and 10 at Gallatin’s 13-yard line…but wait a minute.
After a huddle of officials in the middle of the field, the call was reversed and the penalty was assessed against Trenton. Now back on the 42-yard line, Croy tried two more passes in the final seconds, overthrowing the first and under throwing a final toss to Colston on fourth down. Gallatin took over on its own 42 and quarterback Cole McBee took a knee three times to kill the clock and preserve a two-point GHS victory.
Gallatin, struggling to get its offense going, trailed by six points early in the fourth quarter, but senior halfback Caleb Boyd was hitting his stride behind a pumped up Bulldog line.
Boyd carried for a long gain to Trenton’s 45-yard line on a reverse. Moments later, McBee ran for a first down to the 16. Boyd carried for gains of two and four yards. McBee bulled ahead, straining for the first down mark but came up short.
On fourth and one, McBee couldn’t handle the snap from center, but Boyd alertly scooped the ball off the ground and dashed untouched around left end for the game-tying score. What worked once, worked again as Boyd followed Graydee Rains and lead back Corbin Toney into the end zone for the all-important two-point conversion.
Gallatin’s defense found its mojo again Friday night, forcing a pair of turnovers in the red zone. A sack by Rains and tackle for loss by Toney kept Trenton out of the end zone on its first series of the game. A fumble recovery by Tom Crouse gave Gallatin a scoring chance of its own but the promising drive stalled on Trenton’s five-yard line.
With Trenton bottled just outside the end zone, Patrick McNickle collared Croy for a loss to force a punt. Rains powered in to partially block the kick and Boyd recovered the ball on the 28 to provide Gallatin with a short field to work with. McBee powered over from the two-yard line behind Crouse and Noah Engel for the game’s first score with 1:33 left in the first half. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
Trenton needed only one minute to drive down to Gallatin’s 20-yard line but Williams recovered a fumble in the backfield and Gallatin ran out the clock.
Trenton tied the score with a Croy-to-Colston pass covering 13 yards with 6:41 on the third quarter clock. A Trenton defender streaked around the left side to block a Colin Beck punt and that gave the home Bulldogs the opportunity to take a 12-6 lead after a Croy 12-yard scoring run. For the second time, Gallatin stuffed the two-point attempt.
Trenton’s lead held up until Boyd’s opportune scoring run with 5:06 left in the contest.
Boyd turned in his second straight 100-yard rushing performance, gaining 150 yards on 21 carries, with his longest a 48-yard dash.
Like last season, Gallatin will now face Putnam County for the second time. The Bulldogs earned the #3 seed in the district bracket behind Hamilton and top-seeded Princeton. A victory at home for Gallatin would avenge both a two-point loss to the Midgets two weeks ago and a two-point loss in last season’s first round of districts.