Blakelee Steeb | Echo
Last Saturday brought feelings of success and assurance to the Taylor football team when they defeated Lindenwood 63-10. The victory completed 48 wins for 10th-year head coach Ron Korfmacher, and tied him at the peak of Taylor's all-time wins list.
The Trojans have developed a pattern through the season. The team starts slow and scoring is minimal.
"We have been struggling to get this mindset out of our system," said senior linebacker Cameron Gray. "It is a get punched first and punch back kind of mindset. We feel things out and see how the other team plays."
Taylor was liberated from this mindset when they put their game plan into action in the second quarter. At the completion of the first quarter, the Trojans were behind three points, but the deficit was quickly turned into a surplus.
Taylor scored on nine of their next 10 possessions and returned two turnovers for touchdowns.
Sophomore running back Drew LeFever opened the attack with one of his two touchdowns in the game, and completed the 80-yard drive that placed Taylor ahead for the remainder of the game.
"I am really thankful to be on the team this year," LeFever said. "I am blessed to have the opportunity to play running back the past couple weeks."
Lefever's points were joined by the 39-yard interception return for a touchdown by sophomore defensive back TJ Swore.
The 14-3 spread turned into a 21-3 lead when a 24 yard catch and run was completed. Scoring became a habit for the Trojans, and junior defensive back Tyler Gerig decided to partake when he returned a 63-yard interception for a touchdown.
But the second quarter wasn't complete until freshman running back Josh Saltzgaber scored his first collegiate touchdown to give the Trojans a 31-point surplus.
Out of intermission, Taylor added touchdowns on the next four possessions and broadened the margin to 63-3. A final Lynx touchdown brought the scoring to a close and sent them back to Belleville, Illinois with yet another loss.
Redshirt junior quarterback Everett Pollard completed 19-27 attempts for 217 yards and two touchdowns. He was joined by freshman quarterback Matt Box, who heaved his first collegiate touchdown to junior wide receiver Kyle Kempton.
"We were able to go really deep into our roster," said Korfmacher. "A lot of guys played, and a lot of guys produced in the minutes that they played."
The Trojans will be going deeper into the season tomorrow when they travel to Ann Arbor to compete against No. 16 Concordia at 1 p.m.
"Photograph by Brad Timmerman"
