Euless Trinity breaks open game with late scores to pull away from Keller Timber Creek

Euless Trinity and Keller Timber Creek came into their Class 6A Division 1 bi-district game sporting polar opposite styles on offense.

Trinity loves to run the ball behind its huge offensive line while the Falcons rely heavily on the right arm of quarterback Carson Porter.

The game lived up to its billing and was nip and tuck until the fourth quarter, but three turnovers by Timber Creek in the final frame allowed Trinity to put up 28 points and pull away 63-35 on Friday night at Pennington Field.

Trinity (7-4) advances to the area round of the playoffs and will face Midland Legacy (9-2) at 4 p.m. on Saturday back at Pennington Field. The Trojans, No. 9 in the Star-Telegram Class 6A rankings, won a coin flip after the game to decide who would play at home.

Timber Creek (7-4), No. 6 in the Star-Telegram’s 6A rankings, pulled to within 35-28 on a 36-yard scoring pass from Porter to Oklahoma commit Chukwudozie Ezukanma with 6:05 left in the third quarter.

It was the third touchdown connection of the night for the duo, both of whom lit up the stat sheet despite the loss. Porter threw for 393 yards completing 22 of 38 passes and Ezukanma caught nine passes for 209 yards.

But Trinity’s running game behind Josh Bell, J.T. Harris and Ethan Wright was lethal behind the big offensive line of the Trojans. Trinity had 558 yards of total offense with 427 coming on the ground and held the ball for all but 1:35 of the third quarter pounding the Falcon’s defense.

Bell had 59 yards on nine carries on the ensuing drive that set up a one-yard scoring run by quarterback T.J. Tupou on the first play of the fourth quarter to up the lead to 42-28.

“We were confident coming into the game so we knew that we just had to play our game and that’s what we did,” said Bell who carried 27 times for 198 yards. “It boils down to my linemen at the end of the day. My big linemen clear the holes for me and make my job easier.”

“They are big and they are physical and they’re just going to do what they do offensively,” said Timber Creek coach Marshall Williams, in his fourth year at the helm of the Falcons. “They’re going to continue to lean on you. We had to try to out score them today, and we’ve done some of that this year, but we just ran out of bullets.”

Timber Creek fumbled on its next series less than a minute later and the ball was recovered by Kylen Fiefia at the Falcons’ nine yard line. Harris, seven carries for 69 yards, ran it in on the ensuing snap and just like that Trinity had built a 49-28 lead.

“We have the ability to wear you out with our offensive line,” said Trinity coach Aaron Lineweaver. “They’re big and physical and as the game went on we kind of took over.”

The teams traded scores with TC getting a one-yard scoring run from Adarion Nettles and Trinity pulling out some trickery with an 11-yard halfback pass from Bell to Kohen Fiefia that made it 56-35 with 6:27 left in the game.

The Trojans put it away after that with an interception by Kaden Donaldson at the Trinity 17. Wright broke free for an 81-yard gain down to the Timber Creek two yard line where Bell carried it in from there.

Each time Trinity would get ahead for the first three quarters Timber Creek would counter. Ezukanma’s 31-yard TD reception tied the game at seven with 2:52 in the first quarter.

Porter found Ezukanma again for a 65-yard score with one minute left before halftime that tied the game at 21. Ezukanma went up high for the catch at the Trinity 45 then came down and shook off a defender before sprinting to the pylon in the front, right corner of the end zone.

“They are so athletic, especially Dozie (Chukwudozie Ezukanma) that I don’t know how you prepare for it,” said Lineweaver. “His length and his athleticism combined with great hands and the ability to escape. He’s got it all.

“We knew we had our hands full, but we knew the great players are going to get some yards and score so we just had to stay calm and make some plays when we had a chance to and we did in the second half.”

But the Falcons were constantly playing catch up with Bell having rushing touchdowns of 34 and 16 yards in the first half. The second gave Trinity a 21-7 lead with 7:24 left in the second quarter.

After Timber Creek tied it at 21 with a minute left before halftime, the Trojans showed that they can throw the ball if need be.

Tupou moved Trinity 72 yards in five plays with four being passes. The final one was a perfect 31-yard scoring pass down the left sideline to Kaleb Robinson who made a terrific fingertip catch to give the Trojans a 28-21 lead with four seconds left in the first half.

“It feels great to get this first one out of the way,” said Tupou who completed nine of 14 passes for 120 yards. “It was hard for the seniors losing to (rival Hurst L.D.) Bell. It wasn’t a good way to go out.

“We’re on a team to lose to Bell, but we made up for it winning in the first round. At the end of the day we’re holding up a golden football and they’re at home.”

Tupou’s favorite target was Jarvis Heimuli who caught six passes for 80 yards.

“They’re extremely well coached,” said Williams of Trinity. “Aaron Lineweaver is going to keep the tradition there and it’s going to get back to where it was with him because he cares about those kids, he cares about Trinity High School, he cares about all of those coaches that have been there with his dad that are there currently and it starts with that.”

Williams also said that his group of seniors that have been with him for the four years he’s been there have changed his life and that he is proud of all the “firsts” that they have accomplished this season.

This was the first time that the Falcons have been Keller champions, defeating all of the Keller schools in their district. The first time Timber Creek has ever had a five-game winning streak and the first time the Falcons have been to the playoffs in back-to-back years.

“We have really exceptional kids at Timber Creek, we really do,” said Williams. “They’re hard workers and tough and that’s the mentality that we’re trying to put in place.

“I try to preach and put things in place, but it’s really all the kids that have done that and that’s how they’ve changed my life. I got to be put in the position where I could be the leader of a program and see it going in the right direction and that’s all I’m trying to do, but all the credit goes to them and I’m really proud of them.”

This story was originally published November 11, 2023 at 2:23 AM.