Triton Central searching for complete game performance against Monrovia

Triton Central battled Greenwood throughout the first half Friday but the numbers game caught up with the Tigers in the second half.

The Woodmen scored 17 points in the third quarter to break open a 21-all tie and rolled to a 45-34 victory. The Tigers were missing several key players, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and Greenwood capitalized.

Running back Leland Morton amassed 279 yards and two touchdowns while quarterback Brady Smith was a perfect 15-for-15 passing for 187 yards and three touchdowns.

“We are not going to be the team that holds people (down),” lamented Triton Central head coach Tim Kegley. “We haven’t seen that since Beech Grove (a 14-7 win Sept. 11). We are not going to be able to hold teams down.”

Triton Central (2-4) has allowed 86 points in its two most recent losses and that is putting added pressure on the offense to be productive.

Quarterback Matthew Wilkins (photo) threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns against Greenwood but had an interception and a fumble near the goal line while fighting for a touchdown.

“If we have multiple turnovers, we lose every game,” said Kegley.

Slowing down aerial attacks is an issue. In its last two games, Shelbyville’s Tyler Gwinnup and Greenwood’s Brady Smith have completed 84% of their pass attempts for nearly 500 yards and six touchdowns.

Kegley does not expect that to be an issue this week with Monrovia (2-4) coming to Mendenhall Field. The Bulldogs wing-T offense does not like to put the ball in the air.

In fact, Monrovia quarterback Michael Terrell has completed just 23% of his 133 passing attempts for 537 yards and five touchdowns.

The ground attack is led by junior Ryder Bain (446 yards rushing, seven touchdowns) and senior Coewen Stinson (495 yards, two touchdowns).

“You know what you are going to get,” said Kegley. “You have to be disciplined defensively.”

Monrovia is perfectly comfortable racking up four yards per play and methodically moving up and down the field while dominating time of possession.

“First down is critical,” said Kegley. “You can’t give up 5-6 yards on first down. We have to get them into passing downs.”

Monrovia is averaging 18.8 points offensively but allowing 26.5 on defense. It has surrendered at least 35 points in three of its six games this season.

Kegley expects to have senior Cooper Marlin (photo) on the field for the first time this season. He suffered a broken collarbone two days before the season opener and has been sidelined since.

Marlin will step into the backfield at running back but Kegley does not anticipate using him as a defensive back against Monrovia.

Landon Ball will likely miss his third consecutive game with an illness, but his return is imminent.

Triton Central also played without second leading tackler Weston Smith, Peyton McKillop (photo) and Wyatt Viles at Greenwood. All three are expected back in week seven.

The Tigers’ final two regular-season games are against two of the top teams in the Hoosier Legends Conference – at Class 3A, No. 8 Tri-West (4-2) and home against 3A, No. 5 Indian Creek (6-0).

And Triton Central’s postseason, at some point, likely includes a meeting with either 2A, No. 3 Indianapolis Lutheran (6-0) or 2A, No. 9 Eastern Hancock (6-0).

“We need to start playing really well everywhere,” said Kegley. “We don’t want to be at the end of the season thinking if we only got going in the right direction.

“I want to see us be our best we can be for one game. Then duplicate that.”

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