The Trojan football team opened the season with a game against the Liberty Lightning on Aug. 30. After a big portion of last year’s team having graduated, the lineup is now refreshed with new faces and talent that impressed the crowd last night with a suspenseful game.
The Trojans started off the game on a high note. A few minutes into the first quarter, senior Butali Butali scored a touchdown giving the team an early lead. The Trojans continued their momentum and ended the first quarter with a score of 19-14.
However, the second quarter presented a challenge for the Trojans. The team scored only seven points while Liberty scored 21 points, leaving the Lightnings ahead 35-26 at halftime.
As the game progressed into the third quarter, the Trojans put up a strong comeback. Quarterback Jack Wallace ’25 played a key role by throwing 239 yards and scoring two touchdowns, bringing the Trojans closer with a score of 32-42. However, despite their efforts, the Trojans weren’t able to close the gap and ultimately fell short, losing 46-54.
Despite the defeat, there’s optimism for the season ahead. Varsity player Simon Bass ’25 expressed confidence in the team’s future.
“The game didn’t go the way we hoped it to, but this is just week one out of a long nine-week season. We have so much potential in this team to do great things this year, we just need to believe” Bass said.
Adriana Vargas ’26 a student at West and an enthusiastic fan expressed her excitement about the season.
“I thought it went really well, the boys played good and the energy in the student section was electric. A great start to the 2024 football season,” Vargas said.
The Trojans will be back next week as they face Urbandale at the Trojan stadium on Sept. 6, hoping to improve their record to 1-1.
