By Dustin Armbruster
Each of Saturday’s 2-1A state championship contenders had something in common. Neither Phillipsburg or Troy had ever won a state football title. In fact both were playing in their first ever state title game.
Neither offense could get much going early in the game, it was the Troy defense that scored the first points of the game. Phillipsburg had held Troy on 4th and goal from the one yard line, but two plays later the Panthers fumbled the football back into the endzone. The Panthers recovered but were tackled in the end zone for a Troy Trojans safety. Troy then held Phillipsburg to three plays and a punt and struck on a 45 yard touchdown pass from Reid Greaser to Cuttar Huss. The extra point put Troy up 9-0 with 3:40 left in the first quarter.
Phillipsburg would find find their rhythm on offense in the second quarter. Kirk Coomes capped off an 11 play 62 yard drive with a seven yard touchdown run. Troy struck back with a wild 56 yard pass on third down from Greaser to Chris Winkel and tacked on a two point conversion to go back up 17-8. Just 1:06 later Kirk Coomes broke off a 54 yard touchdown run and again added the two point conversion getting the Panthers within a point at 17-16.
Phillipsburg held Troy on 4th down with 4:00 to go in the first half, but had their drive stalled at the 25 yard line following a penalty.
Coach JB Covington
Troy started the second half with the football once again got inside the red zone again but could not score. Phillipsburg turned their opening drive into a score on a 62 yard Kirk Coomes run, taking their first lead of the game at 22-17. Troy took the lead back, 23-22, with their longest drive of the game, 11 plays and 66 yards, scoring on a Greaser to Winkel three yard pass with 4:13 left in the third quarter.
Phillipsburg ensuing possession ended after a bad snap on a punt attempt, giving Troy the football at the Panther 28 yard line. The Panther defense would hold on fourth down with one of the seven Phillipsburg sacks on the day. The first break in Trojan offense came early in the fourth quarter. Phillipsburg would sack and force a Trojan fumble recovered by the Panthers at the Troy 26 yard line. Kirk Coomes would rumble in for his fourth touchdown of the day. The touchdown came on 4th down from the four yard line. Coomes accounted for all 30 points as he ran in the two point conversion giving Phillipsburg a 30-23 lead. The Panthers had two opportunities to add points over the final ten minutes but punted the ball after three plays each time.
Troy scored after the second of those two punts on the fourth touchdown pass by Greaser, this one again to Cuttar Huss. Troy however did not convert on the two point conversion leaving the score 30-29 with 3:17 remaining.
Troy attempted an on-side kick but touched the ball just before the minimum ten yard requirement. Phillipsburg would drain the final three plus minutes off the clock but not with out drama. The Panthers were set up with 4th and four and following a time out went with a hard count to draw Troy offsides. The result of the first down allowed Phillipsburg to take three knees out of the victory formation and win 30-29.
Mark Coomes
Sophomore Kirk Coomes led the way for Phillipsburg with 243 yards rushing and four touchdowns. He scored all 30 of Phillipsburg’s points scoring on three two-point conversions.
Troy’s quarterback Reid Greaser went 17-24 for 298 yards and 4 touchdowns.