Trinity Christian Academy hosted Manassas on Thursday night and sent the Tigers home with a 56-20 loss.
TCA (3-1) scored early and often in the first half, leading 35-0 at the end of the first quarter and adding three more touchdowns in the second quarter.
“This is a game we were glad to get out of without anyone getting hurt or getting kicked out,” said TCA head coach Darren Bowling.
Brayden Waller caught the first two touchdown passes from quarterback Cooper Vailes.
Lehky Thompkins ran for the next three scores.
Campbell Vailes returned an interception about 40 yards for the sixth score early in the second quarter.
After that point, a number of younger Lions entered the game to gain experience against the Tigers (0-4).
TCA led 56-0 at halftime, but Manassas was able to score twice on offense and return an interception for a touchdown to score its first points of the season in the shortened second half.
Bowling said he was glad to build some depth on the team as the younger members of the roster got significant playing time with the large lead throughout the second half.
“These young guys, I was proud for them to get in the game because they go to camp and summer practice and workouts and practice every week just like the older guys,” Bowling said. “So I’m glad whenever we can get them in when we can.”
The Lions’ competition level rises significantly next week. They go from hosting a game against a team that hadn’t scored a point previously all season to traveling to Riverside, who’s ranked No. 1 in the state with a team that came close to nearly winning the state championship last year and returns nearly everyone from that roster.
“I get excited for games like the one we have next week because it’s a great challenge,” Bowling said. “They’re a good team that nearly won it all last year, so they’re on a mission this year with nearly everybody back.”
Putting the game together
This game wasn’t originally on TCA’s schedule.
It was put together after the Lions’ game in Week 2 was cancelled when the lights wouldn’t come on near one end of the field and the officials called it late that night.
“We came into the locker room that night, and the kids were just defeated because they wanted to play but couldn’t,” Bowling said. “And I really wanted to get these seniors a 10th game in the regular season, so I met with the coaching staff and said ‘I don’t care if it’s in East Tennessee or whatever. I want to get a game for our bye week.’
“Fortunately the only team we could find that had this week open was in Memphis and had the ability to get up here and play us. We appreciate Manassas for coming up tonight.”
Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news
