LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
ARGENTA, Ill. – Desperate to break a three-game losing streak, the Tri-County Titans football team traveled to Macon County Friday, Oct. 4 for Lincoln Prairie Conference play against the Argenta-Oreana Bombers. This was the first of a mini two-game road trip. The Bombers were still in search of their first win, having lost their first five games, but nearly getting their first win last week against Sangamon Valley.
It was also Homecoming in Argenta.
After 48 minutes of play, a couple of costly turnovers and an explosive second half by the Bombers knocked the Titans into submission, resulting in a 36-6 loss.
The first quarter saw the Titans turn the ball over on downs on the first series and the Bombers took advantage. Argenta-Oreana used its running game with 4:26 left as Tyson Oros scampered in from 12 yards out. Noah Lawson hit the extra point to make the score 7-0.
Late in the quarter, the Titans got some momentum as Landon Paugh had a 23-yard run to push the ball forward heading into the second 12-minute stretch.
That run made the difference as Tri-County marched down the field and got into the endzone. Garrett Pollock found Joe Henricks for a six-yard touchdown pass at the 7:26 mark. The two-point conversion failed, giving Argenta-Oreana a 7-6 lead.
Late in the quarter, the Titans pushed the ball down the field again, but the Bombers picked him off in the endzone. Oros, who recorded the interception, then handed the ball off to Damian Gude who found an opening from the Bombers’ endzone and went the distance for a 100-yard pick-six with 3:44 left.
Lawson hit the extra point to put the score at 14-6. The Titans managed to get down the field and had an opportunity to score at the end of the half with the ball at the Bombers’ 16-yard line. Pollock found Andy Houlihan with the pass, but Houlihan was stopped one yard short of the end zone to end the quarter and send the teams to their respective locker rooms.
The third quarter saw the Titans make another mistake as Watson mishandled a handoff, fumbling the ball in Tri-County territory where the Bombers got the ball back. Argenta-Oreana made the Titans pay with 4:02 left as Oros took a handoff at the Tri-County 30-yard line and found the gap to go all the way for the score. Lawson hit the extra point to make the score 21-6.
The Bombers got the ball back and went back to the ground, hitting pay dirt with seven seconds left in the frame as Gude scampered in from 21 yards out. Carter Logue found Wyatt Riley for the two-point pass and Argenta-Oreana was in control at 29-6 heading into the final twelve minutes.
The Bombers put a cap on the game at the 6:37 mark after the Titans were stopped on their first possession of the quarter. The Titans went to the ground again as Wyatt Kendall found a seam for a 20-yard touchdown run. Lawson hit the extra point to make the eventual final score 36-6 in favor of Argenta-Oreana.
Jimmy Dillon led the Titans with 22 carries for 126 yards. Landon Paugh had 10 carries for 53 yards. Myles Watson had one catch for 41 yards while Andy Houlihan had three catches for 34 yards. Garrett Pollock was six of eight for 76 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Tyson Oros led the Bombers with five carries for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Wyatt Kendall had four carries for 31 yards and a score. Carter Logue was two for five for 49 yards, with both receptions going to Tyson Tennin. Logue had ten carries for 32 yards.