Trinity edges Frederick Douglass in overtime, rides defense to 6A championship game
For a Trinity High School football program sporting a record 27 championships, a two-year absence from the state final felt like an eternity.
The wait is over … after overtime.
Zane Johnson’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Castelluzzo in overtime was the difference as host Trinity beat Frederick Douglass, 14-7, on Friday night in the semifinals of the Class 6A playoffs.
Ranked No. 2 in the state, Trinity (11-3) advanced to face Bryan Station in next Saturday’s 4 p.m. state final at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field in Lexington. It will be a rematch from the teams’ season opener on Aug. 18, a game the Shamrocks won 36-3.
It also will be the Shamrocks’ first appearance in the state final since beating Male, 28-0, for its 27th state title in 2020.
“You come to Trinity to win, but it’s not just given to you,” junior defensive end J.C. Wilson said. “We found that out the past two years. It’s good to be back.”
It also will be the first trip to the final as head coach for Jay Cobb, who was a big part of previous title teams as the Shamrocks’ defensive coordinator.
“I don’t like the fact that everybody puts that on the head man from the standpoint that it’s his championship,” Cobb said. “No, it’s not. There are a lot of guys who put in a ton of work. … This staff did a good job of preparing this bunch. This is not a Jay Cobb thing. This is a staff thing.”
The staff — especially on the defensive side — had plenty to celebrate Friday night.
Johnson’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Lynn gave Trinity a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter, and Cobb said he figured his offense was going to have a big night.
But the Shamrocks finished with 149 yards of offense, and Johnson finished 9 for 21. Cobb said Johnson suffered an injury to his non-throwing hand in the first half.
“But no excuses there,” Cobb said. “He’s been big for us all season.”
With the offense struggling against a stout Douglass defense, the Trinity defense made stop after stop after stop.
A huge one came in the final minute of the first half after the No. 5 Broncos (8-5) drove into the red zone. After a 19-yard touchdown pass was negated by an illegal-procedure penalty, Trinity linebacker Brady McEnaney intercepted a Jaxon Strautman pass with two seconds left in the half.
Drew Davis intercepted Strautman with 4:35 remaining, but the Broncos got the ball back at the 2:52 mark. On fourth-and-goal, Strautman rolled right and threw back to the left for an 11-yard touchdown pass to Derion Talbert with 13 seconds left, leading to overtime.
Trinity got the ball first, and Johnson found Castelluzzo for the go-ahead score on third down.
“I thought I was going to block somebody, and he disappeared,” Castelluzzo said. “I just ran free, and Zane put it on me. It was a dream come true.”
Trinity’s defense made its final stand in overtime, getting a big second-down sack by Wilson for a 13-yard loss. Wilson credited Trinity defensive coach Michael Fox with alerting him to the “CBR,” a counter boot reverse. It’s exactly what Strautman, the Frederick Douglass quarterback, attempted.
“I was like, ‘There it is! There it is!’” Wilson said. “I just grabbed him and let my instincts take over from there.”
On fourth-and-goal at the 15, Strautman’s pass to the end zone fell incomplete. The Trinity celebration was on.
“They beat us here last time,” said Wilson, referring to Trinity’s 17-14 loss to the Broncos on Aug. 26. “Can’t come in our house and beat us again.”
More: Cole Hodge, Justin Ruffin power Christian Academy to Class 3A championship game
DOUGLASS 0 0 0 7 0 – 7
TRINITY 7 0 0 0 7 – 14
First quarter
T – Jeremiah Lynn 9 pass from Zane Johnson (Carson Hilbert kick)
Fourth quarter
FD – Derion Talbert 11 pass from Jaxon Strautman (Cooper Ranvier kick)
Overtime
T – Jacob Castelluzzo 4 pass from Johnson (Hilbert kick)
Reach Jason Frakes at jfrakes@courier-journal.com and follow him on X @kyhighs.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA playoffs: Trinity advances to 6A title game, edges Douglass
