After a couple of dominant wins against in-state rivals Male and Louisville St. Xavier, the Rocks hit the road hoping to extend their win streak to four in a row against the Cincinnati St. Xavier Bombers. This was the Rocks’ second trip to Cincinnati this season, the first ending in a devastating 24–21 loss to the Moeller Crusaders.
In contrast to last week’s affair, the Rocks got off to a very rough start. Cincinnati St. Xavier jumped out to a 17–0 lead due to two blocked punts in the first quarter—one resulting in a touchdown and the other leading to a field goal. This 17-point deficit was by far the largest Trinity had faced all year, and it only took the Bombers a quarter to create it. However, midway through the second quarter, third-string quarterback Zane Johnson found one of his favorite wideouts, Jason Hagan, over the middle for a 57-yard touchdown. This was the third time in two weeks that the explosive duo connected for a touchdown, all coming from over 30 yards out.
The Rocks used that momentum to get a quick stop and give their offense another opportunity to score with just over two minutes left in the first half. However, junior Chris Kehdy missed a 50-yard field goal just left as time expired. Nonetheless, after an extremely slow start, a strong second quarter gave the Rocks a fighting chance going into halftime, down 17–7.
Trinity carried this momentum from the second quarter into the second half. The Rocks played complementary football right out of the gate, as the defense forced a fumble on the Bombers’ first drive, and Johnson led the offense down the field and connected with senior Cross Watson, the Rocks’ leading receiver for the year. This touchdown and a successful extra point cut the lead to just three going into the fourth quarter, with the Bombers leading 17–14.
The Rocks caught a stroke of luck to start the fourth quarter, as a Bombers’ muffed punt gave Johnson and the offense great field position. However, the Rocks’ offense wasn’t able to take advantage, as a Jamarion Berry fumble gave the ball right back to Cincinnati St. Xavier.
After a sequence of punts, the Trinity offense took the field for what would be its last chance to either tie the game or win it in regulation. They worked down the field efficiently, crossing midfield with just under 90 seconds remaining. However, a costly interception from Johnson gave the ball back to the Bombers with just 40 seconds left, putting the game out of reach for Trinity.
There were some bright spots for the Rocks on Friday, though. Zane Johnson threw for over 200 yards for his fourth game in a row, totaling 228 yards through the air with two touchdowns. Standout receiver Jason Hagan also had a big game, hauling in four catches for 111 yards, including the long touchdown in the first half. However, the running game struggled, as Trinity’s running backs averaged only 3.7 yards per carry as a group.
This loss dropped the Rocks to 5–2 for the season, but they remain undefeated against in-state opponents at 4–0. They will look to bounce back as they face their three district opponents—Ballard, Eastern, and Oldham County—over the next three weeks. It will be a crucial stretch in the season as they jockey for the pole position in District 5.
