STRASBURG – Strasburg rushed for 473 yards to knock off visiting Warren County 41-18 to improve to 2-1 on the season.
The loss dropped the Wildcats to 0-2.
“I thought the offense played really well in the second half,” said Strasburg assistant coach Josh Haymore, who said head coach Tripp Lamb was unable to speak after the game. “We just needed to make a few more plays on both sides of the ball and eliminate the turnovers. I think the kids played hard.”
Despite rushing for over 200 yards in the first half, the Rams held a narrow 14-6 lead after both teams turned the ball over twice in the first two quarters.
The Rams scored on their first possession as junior James Trainor scored on a 22-yard run.
Strasburg made it 14-0 midway through the second quarter as quarterback Brayden Hough rolled around the right side for 2-yard score.
But the Wildcats kept it close just before the half as quarterback Bryce Bergmann connected with receiver Nick Harlow for a 21-yard touchdown pass to cut the margin to 14-6.
Strasburg then leaned on its vaunted rushing attack in the second half.
The Rams took just five plays and went 75 yards on the first possession of the third quarter as Trainor rumbled in from 15 yards to extend the lead to 21-6.
After the teams traded turnovers, the Wildcats got a big play from senior back Blaise Skube, who broke several tackles and raced 64 yards for a score to whittle the Rams lead to 21-12.
But the Rams responded on their next series, going 66 yards in nine plays as Trainor once again scored, this time from 13 yards out to give Strasburg a 27-12 lead.
Trainor rushed for 191 yards on 14 carries and scored four touchdowns to lead the Rams.
“The line blocking was perfect – shout out to them,” Trainor said. “They did a really good job of making holes big enough that you could have put a Mack truck through.”
Early in the fourth quarter Trainor added a 60-yard TD run and then Hough added another 2-yard score late in the quarter to close out the Rams scoring.
Nate Turner also enjoyed a good game for the Rams, rushing for 106 yards on 12 carries.
Warren’s Braeden Newbrough scored the final touchdown of the game with just 21 second left on a 5-yard run.
“We had some opportunities early and I made some bad decisions,” Warren County coach Josh Breeden said. “I have to be better. I think the kids really played hard tonight. Strasburg is a very tough football team – they just outlasted us.”
Skube led the Wildcats with 123 yards on 16 carries and Bergman passed for 157 yards, completing 10-of-15 attempts.
Neither team punted in the game and each squad turned the ball over three times.
“We came out really flat in the first half,” Trainor said. “We went back to the locker room and we really locked in and came down here and played football – how we were taught to play football.”