By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Trojans Edged Out In Youth Football Season Opener
Placeholder Image
The return trip from Galt was a long one for the Central Valley Trojans organization, as all four of the programs' squads came up empty handed against the Liberty Ranch Junior Hawks in the Delta Youth Sports Association football opener on Saturday, Aug. 15.

The Trojans were just edged out on the Starts and Junior Varsity levels, but were handled easily on the Rookies and Varsity level. The youngest group of Trojans missed out on a season opening victory by a two-point conversion, falling to the Hawks 15-13 in their action at Galt High.

The Trojans were in the game the entire contest, but costly mistakes down the stretch proved to be the difference in the Starts' first action of the season.

"I was pleased with our players' effort," Trojan head coach Carl Wilson said. "They gave us what they could, but execution wise, we didn't execute well.

"The reason we did not win that game is because we did not take care of the football."

The Trojans found difficulty taking care of the football, squandering opportunities to put points on the scoreboard and handing the Hawks great field position, leaving the Trojan defense with a steep hill to climb.

"The difference in the game was loss possessions," Wilson said. "During one stretch we put the ball on the deck three straight times. That put the opposition on the 25-yard line and they were able to capitalize once they got in striking distance."

The Trojans Starts level feel they have what it takes to find success in the league, yet it may take time before the squad is able to put everything together and take down teams that they will be facing in league play.

"I understand that our boys are going to have to learn over an extended period of time," Wilson said. "So I am not really expecting them to click until like midway through the season, but that being said, all the other teams are on that same page.

"We are a much more talented team than most of the squads we are going to face."

The JV team also fell in a two-point loss, dropping their contest with the Hawks 14-12, while the Rookies got blasted 27-0 and the Varsity was dropped 29-0.

The newly formed league was introduced to turmoil early on as the Trojans' organization president Diallo Fry stepped down from his position as the Trojan leader, in protest to disciplinary actions that were taken against one of the Trojan team coaches. The board voted and made a decision to hold a pair of participants accountable for actions that were deemed unacceptable, leading to a fall out that pushed Wilson, the organization's vice-president, into the role of president.

"Diallo and Karrie (Fry) are great people," Wilson said about the incident. "One of their friends got in an argument with another coach, some words were exchanged and we had to lay down a punishment. One of the gentlemen opted to quit versus serving the punishment and that created sort of a rift, if you will.

"Those two (the Frys) put this organization where it is now and we hated to see them go."

Phone calls made by The News to the Fry residence over the weekend for comment were not returned.

The departure of the team's founders left an urgency for others to step up and contribute immediately and the Trojan community was seemingly up for the challenge.

"It was amazing how the people in our organization came together," Wilson said. "I got nothing but pats on the back; people calling asking what they could do to help out. From people volunteering to join our board, to people just simply volunteering to help out with home games.

"As far as the community is concerned, it gave me a lot more confidence in what they will do."

The squads will make their home opener when they take to the field Aug. 22 at Riverbank High hosting the Galt Jr. Warriors beginning with the Starts kickoff at 10 a.m. All four teams will be looking to make a debut in the win column and that will be each team's primary focus.

"I obviously expect to win each game we play," Wilson said. "We have some things to work on this week, but again, I think most of the teams we'll see this year we're going to be more talented than ... it's just up to us on whether or not we're going to win it."