SCARBOROUGH — The big question heading into this season for Thornton Academy was will the young Trojans be able to step up and really take control of the program?

The young TA squad answered that question with authority on Friday night as the Trojans rallied from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat host Scarborough 32-28 in a Class A South showdown.

“We just wanted to hang around,” said TA coach Kevin Kezal. “They are a very good football team with a lot of returning starters, a very good team and we just wanted to stick around … and hopefully in the end be able to make a couple of plays and win it and we were able to do that.”

The two teams would go back-and-forth for most of the game with Scarborough getting on the board first to take a 7-0 lead and TA responding later in the opening period to tie the game.

The score would remain tied at 7-7 heading into halftime, but the large crowd on hand was in store for an incredible second half.

Scarborough regained the lead with 7:40 left in the third on a 15-yard touchdown run from Owen Garrard, who also had the Red Storm’s score in the first half.

TA answered later in the quarter when Cam Houde recovered a Scarborough fumble and scored six plays later on a 2-yard touchdown run from Jason Montano to tie the game at 14.

Scarborough would respond with a 33-yard touchdown run from Jarett Flaker to make it 21-14.

The Red Storm kept the momentum as Zoltan Panvi hit Cody Dudley on a 74-yard scoring strike to make it a 28-14 game with 9:27 remaining in regulation.

The Trojans came right back as QB Will Mitchell connected with CJ LaBreck for gains of 22 and 25 yards to put TA in striking distance. Mitchell finished off the drive with a 5-yard TD run. The extra point was no good and the score was 28-20 with 8:36 left.

After a Scarborough punt, the Trojans wasted no time getting back on the scoreboard as Mitchell found LaBreck for a 71-yard touchdown pass. This time the 2-point conversion attempt was no good and the Scarborough lead was down to 28-26 with 4:51 left.

Scarborough fumbled on its next possession, but TA was unable to capitalize as the Trojans turned the ball over on downs.

The TA defense forced another Scarborough punt — and this time the Trojans’ offense would finish the job.

Mitchell found LaBreck for a 48-yard gain to move the Trojans to the Scarborough 21. Four plays later, Mitchell went to the air again and this time it was Anthony Bracamonte hauling in a perfect pass in the end zone for the go-ahead score.

The 2-point try was no good and TA led by four with 45 seconds left.

The TA defense once again stepped up as they allowed one first down but would not allow Scarborough near the end zone.

“Our kids played with great effort tonight on both sides of the ball. What I liked was our kids showed great resiliency,” said Kezal. “They are young and we told them ‘listen, good things are going to happen and bad things are going to happen, you’re just going to have to worry about the next play,’ and they did that.”

Mitchell credited both his offensive line and the TA defense following the big win.

“We just trusted our offensive line and trusted our defense … I knew we were going to come out on top,” said the sophomore signal caller.

— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at pmcdonald@journaltribune.com or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.

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