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Trotwood-Madison wins 13-3 slugfest over Winton Woods

FOREST PARK, OHIO – It was a matchup that was compared to a heavyweight championship fight. Trotwood-Madison, the defending Ohio D-III State champions, came off the mat to win the late rounds holding off the D-II runner-up Winton Woods Warriors 13-3 at Fredrick Stadium.

These two teams both boasted high-powered offense a year ago. However, the first half of the game was anything but that as each team relied on the defensive side of the ball to keep the game scoreless.

Trotwood-Madison moved the ball well on offense in the first half picking up 122 yards but turned the ball over to the Winton Woods defense three times. The Rams mistakes, including a fumble on its first play from scrimmage, were a big reason the game was scoreless at halftime.

Winton Woods were stuck in neutral on offense, gaining just 57 yards in the first half, but its defense kept the Warriors in the game early. Jalen Englemon and Melvin Pleasant each recovered fumbles and Miquan Grace intercepted two passes keeping Winton Woods alive.

Yeri Velasquez kicked a 28-yard field goal, breaking the seal on the scoreboard as Winton Woods took a 3-0 lead early in the third quarter. 

Trotwood-Madison made adjustments on offense including moving Kenyon Sneed from wide receiver, where he lead the Rams with three receptions and 63 yards, to the quarterback position. Late in the third quarter, Sneed dropped back to pass and when the pocket collapsed he escaped scrambling 42 yards for the game’s first touchdown.

That play is what swung the momentum towards Trotwood-Madison’s side. A 12-play drive in the fourth quarter was the back-breaker putting the game on ice when Ke’Shawn Huguley went around the left end three yards for a touchdown. Huguley was the game’s leading rusher going for 120 yards on 20 carries.

The Trotwood-Madiosn defense also came to life in the second half. The Rams were lead by defensive end Kennedy Coates who had a game-high 11 tackles.

Trotwood-Madison head coach Jeff Graham, who played his college football at Ohio State, brought two of his college teammates to the game to meet his team. Carlos Snow and Vinnie Clark, who combined efforts to win two state championships for the C.A.P.E. Crusaders in the nid-1980s, were each introduced to the team after the game to speak to the players.

Clark was a first round draft pick for the Green Back Packers while Snow left high school as the all-time leading rusher in the state of Ohio history and is still third all-time with 7,761 career yards.

“We tell them to work hard and push it to limit,” says Graham who played 11 seasons for five different NFL teams. “We did that also because I wanted Vinnie and Carlos to talk them about some of the things that they see on film to make them become better players.”

The win was a good way for Trotwood-Madison to begin its defense of last year’s state championship while Winton Woods looks to bounce back next week hosting West Clermont.

SCORE BY QUARTERS
Trotwood-Madison 0-0-7–6 – 13
Winton Woods 0-0-3-0 – 3

SCORING PLAYS
W: Yeri Velasquez 28 field goal
T: Kenyon Sneed 28 run. (Carter Mims kick)
T: Ke’Shawn Hughley 3 run. (pass failed)

RECORDS: Trotwood-Madison (1-0); Winton Woods (0-1)
UP NEXT: Trotwood-Madison vs. Simeon Career Academy; Winton Woods vs. West Clermont (1-0).

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