California builds big lead, holds off B-C to win TCS title
FREDERICKTOWN – This is becoming a habit for the California Trojans.
For the second year in a row, the Trojans wrapped up the Class A Tri-County South Conference title, this time with a 22-20 squeaker over Beth-Center.
Brandon Meier completed 8 of 18 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns to lead California, which jumped out to a 22-0 lead and withstood a Bulldogs comeback attempt.
Beth-Center (9-1) came up on the losing side of the scoreboard for the first time this season. California moved to 8-2 on the season.
California opened the game with a flurry.
Meier hit Alan Dennis with a 64-yard bomb and a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Trojans made it 15-0 when Dennis returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown and also caught a two-point conversion pass.
It got worse for Beth-Center.
After an interception by Colton Lowden, Meier hooked up with Chase Shemansky for 45 yards and a touchdown and threw to Weston Monticelli for the two-point conversion, giving California a 22-0 lead heading into the second quarter.
Beth-Center finally got the engines going, thanks to a decision on fourth down for California. The Trojans failed to get the first down and B-C drove for its first touchdown, scoring on a 5-yard run by Chase Bebout as time expired in the first half with Hunter Bobbs’ extra point making it 22-7 at halftime.
Enzo Brown’s 44-yard touchdown run and Bobbs PAT got the Bulldogs within 22-14 but Bobbs missed a 33-yard field goal attempt later in the third quarter after B-C couldn’t push it over from the California 5 on third down.
Brown, who ran for 153 yards, added a 23-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter following a interception by Nick Miller to make it 22-20 but the two-point conversion pass failed.
An interception by Jaxon Corazzi set up a 35-yard field goal attempt by Bobbs but the kick fell short with 4:05 left and the Trojans were able to run the clock out from there.