The Trojans (3-2) completely dismantled the Lehman Lobos (0-6) 56-7 last Thursday night on the road. It was an incredible, full team effort with Anderson’s offense putting up almost 600 yards, and the defense holding the Lobos under 200. It was a great chance for both the usual starters and the backups to get some key playing time and for the Trojans to get back on their feet after a pair of losses.
Quarterback Max Gerlich was excellent and efficient against Lehman, completing 12 of his 14 passes for 338 yards and 6 touchdowns. This was another phenomenal outing from him, something Trojan fans have grown accustomed to seeing from the senior this fall. Max has now thrown for almost 1400 yards on the season, along with 21 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Backup quarterback Mason Randolph also showed well in his time in the second half, completing all 3 of his throws for 74 yards and a score.
With great QB play, it’s no surprise that the Anderson receivers had a fantastic night as well, led by Tristan Waidelich, who turned in his best outing of the season thus far. Waidelich caught 4 passes for 101 yards and scored on each of them, including 3 first half touchdowns from Gerlich. Ed Small had another great game with 5 catchers for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns, bringing his totals to 586 yards and 9 scores on the year. Zayden Sharp caught the lone other touchdown while hauling in two receptions for 78 yards (he also ran one in for a 48 yard score on the ground), and Ben Hatcher caught a trio of passes for 56 yards of his own. Alongside the usual bunch, David Lopez and Ben Waisman each recorded a catch, going for 40 and 12 yards respectively.
The ground game in this one was solid for the Trojans, as they racked up two touchdowns and 147 yards running the football. Jay Fullmer continued his inspiring sophomore campaign with 8 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown to lead the backfield, while Dominic Mays and Dean Krenek saw some time at tailback as well.
On the flip side, 21 Anderson defenders recorded a tackle in this one, showcasing the depth of talent on that side of the ball for the Trojans. Juniors Liam McMillan and Datrien Campbell led the team with 5 tackles each, while Pierce Miller and Max Middleton added 4 a piece as well. Hodges Smith and River Anderson both had 3 tackles to round out the top 5 (tie) for the team. McMillan added 2 TFLs while Smith and Middleton each had 1 as well.
Additionally, six Trojans recorded sacks against the Lobos, as they put pressure on quarterback Gunner Winiecki early and often in the win. McMillan, Miller, and Anderson were joined by Sloan Keller, Calvin Ballinger, and Zach Cecalek, as all six recorded one a piece. Colin Haines, Alex Longoria, and Datrien each had a singular pass defended, and Ryan Ostboe was a perfect 8 for 8 on extra points.
Overall, this was a great game for the Trojans to regain some confidence coming off of 2 straight losses to teams at the top of the district. They showed no rust coming off of a bye week and will carry the win’s momentum into a Friday night matchup with Hendrickson this week. The next 4 games are a crucial stretch for Anderson, as they are all very winnable contests and will likely be the deciding factor in a playoff bid for Coach Hatcher’s squad.
