Two weeks ago the Ribault Trojans received what seemed to be a gift from the football Gods. They were presented with a home date with the Suwannee Bulldogs. The same team that eliminated them from the playoffs last year. Not only were they granted an opportunity to avenge their defeat, they were gifted with an opponent that was significantly weaker than the team from the previous year. Suwannee came into the game with three losses under their belt, including one to district foe Yulee. So Ribault knew this was the year to seize the district championship, yet Suwannee had a secret weapon and plan to catch the Trojans off guard.
@DuvalSports @RibaultTrojans
Homecoming court for Ribault pic.twitter.com/lqLPIfDu0E— Q-Duval Sports (@QCarr75) October 15, 2016
Just as the Greeks concealed themselves in a giant Trojan horse at the gates of Troy, Suwannee’s secret weapon came in form of a giant statue placed at the doorstep of the Ribault defense. Suwannee’s Quarterback Steven Anderson unleashed a fury of plays that overtook one of the best defenses in the city. Anderson scored three touchdowns on the ground and one through the air, his finest performance of the season. It clearly caught the Trojan defense off guard as Anderson scored on just the second play of the game. It was the second of many surprising plays on the night for Suwannee. The first was the Bulldogs getting the jump on Ribault by recovering the opening kickoff of the game.
After a Ribault touchdown run tied the game at 7-7, the Trojans would take the lead 15-7. Javon Williams led the Trojans with 90 rushing yards and Ryan Willams had 175 yards passing and a touchdown.
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Nice run by Ribault pic.twitter.com/Al6sLgDimz— Q-Duval Sports (@QCarr75) October 15, 2016
However Anderson responded with his second touchdown run with six minutes to play to make the score 15-14 Ribault. The Trojans would respond. With 20 seconds left in the 2nd quarter, Ribualt would get the touchdown to put them ahead 22-14 at halftime. It seemed as if Ribault had taken full control of the game, but a common theme occurred for the Trojans, disaster.
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Suwannee with the vood defensive stop on Ribault pic.twitter.com/jLctDyy9tR— Q-Duval Sports (@QCarr75) October 15, 2016
In the second half Anderson could not be stopped, gashing the heart the Trojan defense with designed runs and scrambling. A late turnover by Ribault signaled the end of a nightmarish game that saw the Trojans lose not only the game but their chances of revenge against a bitter foe. Ribault now finds themselves in desperate need of a win this week against district rival Yulee. Yulee defeated Suwanee earlier this year, and can wrap up the district title with a win. In doing so, Ribault would be knocked out of the playoffs just a year removed from advancing to the second round. A Trojan win forces a tie breaker between Ribualt, Suwanee, and Yulee, granting a temporary stay of execution for one of the teams. Yulee has never beaten Ribault, another gift seemingly placed at the feet of the Trojans from the football Gods. But if there was a lesson to be learned from the Suwannee game it is reflected in the most familiar version of Virgil’s Aeneid, Book II.
“Trojans, don’t trust this horse.
Whatever it is, I’m afraid of Greeks even those bearing gifts.”-trans. A. S. Kline
The delusions of grandeur are over for Ribault. They have not lived up to the high expectations their fan base and some football analyst predicted. Now in order to win the battle and rule as king of their district, Ribault must first be afraid of losing it. They certainly can when Yulee comes to their doorsteps on Winton Drive tonight.
