Coming off their first defeat of the season, a 24-21 thriller on the road at Moeller, the Rocks look to bounce back with a win over the physical Carmel Greyhounds. The Greyhounds started the season with three dominant victories against in-state teams. This matchup will prove to be another tough test for the Rocks, and all signs point to a tight contest Friday night against the Greyhounds.
Trinity has had success against Carmel in recent years, as the Rocks have defeated the Greyhounds in each of the last four seasons. However, this year’s Carmel team will pose a new challenge: a returning head coach. Kevin Wright returns to Carmel after ten years, and he had plenty of success with the Greyhounds during his first stint from 2010–2014. During this stretch, Wright made the Indiana State Championship three times, including a win in the 2011 season. Following his success with Carmel, Wright took his talents to IMG Academy, where he boasted a record of 44-2 over four seasons. Wright then returned to the state of Indiana, where he was a tight ends coach for the Hoosiers for four years. However, Wright is not only a familiar face for the Greyhounds. He spent one season with Trinity in 1999, leading the Shamrocks to an 11-2 record. Defensive coordinator Michael Fox said Wright’s return will force the Rocks to gameplan in a completely new way, saying, “We can look a little bit at last year’s film as far as personnel, but as far as we’re going to plan for the game, not the same way.” A coaching change will only add to the drama of this highly anticipated matchup Friday night.
The first step to success this week for the Rocks will be stopping Carmel’s strong run game. The Greyhounds have rushed for a total of 673 yards this season, and over two-thirds of their plays have been on the ground. This rushing attack is led by a three-headed monster of senior quarterback Anthony Coellner, sophomore running back Ayden Johnson, and senior running back Andrew Pemberton. The key for the Rocks is to succeed on early downs defensively. Coach Fox emphasized this, saying, “Our goal is to win first down, force them to 2nd & long, 3rd & long, where they kind of get one-dimensional.” Stopping the run was an issue last week for the Rocks, as Moeller racked up 139 yards and controlled the game in the second half because of this efficiency on the ground.
Carmel’s passing game isn’t weak either. Coellner has thrown for 195 yards per game this season and is set to play for Gerad Parker and the Troy Trojans next fall. The aerial attack is led by a duo of wide receivers: senior Jacob Bellin, who leads the Greyhounds with 263 yards this season, and senior Dominic Shockley, who has 169 yards in three games so far. Nonetheless, stopping the run will be the primary focus for the Rocks’ defense this Friday, and if they are able to force Carmel into 3rd & long, Trinity’s junior pass-rushing tandem of Sebastian Blue and Juleone Carney will be able to pin their ears back and get pressure on Coellner.
It’s no mystery that Friday’s game will be won in the trenches, and the Rocks will have to continue their success on the ground this week against the Greyhounds. Last week, Trinity found success running the football, as junior running back Jamaurion Berry ran for a season-high 123 yards and two touchdowns. The Rocks totaled 174 yards on the ground, averaging six yards per carry, and if they can continue this, it will take pressure off quarterback Johnson and the passing game. The Rocks will have their hands full in passing situations with senior edge rusher Dane Bathurst. The Duke commit has five tackles for loss this season and will pose a threat for senior AJ Green, who will be sliding in at left tackle for the second week in a row. This will be a key matchup for Trinity’s offense, as an efficient offensive attack will be important to take pressure off the defense.
This will be the second game in a row for the Rocks against a difficult out-of-state opponent. However, this two-game stretch only marks the beginning of a gauntlet the Rocks face that stretches into mid-October. Following this week’s matchup with Carmel, Trinity faces in-state rivals Male, Louisville St. Xavier, and Ballard, as well as a familiar out-of-state opponent, Cincinnati St. Xavier. Coach Fox is excited for this challenge, saying, “If we see another good team down the road, we’ve already played some high-level competition that, I think for our guys, helps slow the game down.” This six-game stretch will prove to be very interesting for Trinity, as it is filled with rivals throughout the city and difficult out-of-state opponents.
Trinity will be challenged on both sides of the ball Friday, as it seems likely that their matchup against Carmel will be a close contest. The game will likely be won in the trenches, as both teams boast strong running attacks. No matter the outcome, Marshall Stadium will be packed and loud as the Rocks welcome the Greyhounds on Friday night.
