By By Adam Robinson – sports editor
MONTGOMERY - T.R. Miller head coach Jamie Riggs and his staff and players knew coming into Friday night's game against Trinity that they would see a lot of passing.
Along with the passing, it was the all-purpose play of Trinity senior Griffin Littlefield that played a big factor in Trinity's 27-20 win over T.R. Miller Friday night at Boykin Field.
Littlefield scored three touchdowns in the game, one rushing, one receiving and one punt return, as he finished with 115 total offensive yards. Littlefield also deflected a two-point conversion try for the Tigers that helped the Wildcats stay on top and eventually hold on for the win.
With the win, Trinity improved to 7-3 on the season as Miller dropped to 5-5.
After trailing 21-7 at the end of the third quarter and driving at the Trinity 7-yard line, running back Cortez Banks got within the 4-yard line on a second-and-goal play. On third down, quarterback Terez Lane ran around the right end towards the Miller sideline and lunged into the end zone for a 4-ayrd touchdown to the get the Tigers within a touchdown after Seth Holland's PAT cut the Trinity lead to 21-14 with 11:14 left in the game.
After forcing a Trinity punt on the Wildcats next offensive series, T.R. Miller took over at their own 38-yard line.
T.R. Miller went to the ground running as Matt Lane, Banks, Terez Lane, and Wil Riggs picked up a combined 50 yards to get the ball into Trinity territory at the 12-yard line.
After a Riggs to Terez Lane reception moved the ball to the 7-yard line, Banks picked up the final seven yards on two carries as he bulled his way into the end zone to cut the Trinity lead to 21-20 with 4:56 left in the game.
After lining up for the PAT that would have tied the game, Miller called a timeout and decided to go for two points and the win.
After a false start moved the ball back, Terez Lane found an open Will Waters in the back of the end zone, but Trinity's Littlefield closed the gap quickly and deflected the ball out of bounds as Trinity held on for the 21-20 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Wilson Van Hooser returned the ball to the 29-yard line as Trinity set up with 4:55 left in the game.
After alternating runs by Mitchell and Littlefield that moved the ball to the 49-yard line, Mitchell and the Wildcats faced a fourth-and-one, but Mitchell leaped through the Tiger defense for the first down with under two minutes to go in the game.
After getting to the 36-yard line, it was Littlefield again who put the dagger into Miller hearts as he raced 36-yards to give Trinity a 27-20 lead after the failed PAT with 41 seconds left in the game.
After the failed PAT, Miller saw that it would only need a score and a converted PAT for the win, but after a kickoff return to the 30-yard line, quarterback Wil Riggs was intercepted by Brooks Blackmon as Trinity took over on downs and ran out the clock for the 27-20 win. It was Trinity's first win in three meetings over the Tigers.
Riggs finished the game 8-for-23 passing with three interceptions and one touchdown.
Holland was the leading receiver for the Tigers as he had 46 yards and Matt Lane led all Tigers with 92 yards rushing.
Trinity was the first to get on the board in the game with a 14-yard reception from Mitchell to Wilson Van Hooser. Trinity would take a 14-0 lead from Littlefield's 67-yard punt return to give Trinity a 14-0 lead. Holland would get a 39-yard reception from Riggs to cut the lead to 14-7 with 1:43 left before halftime.
With the loss, T.R. Miller will move into next week's game in the first round of the playoffs against Handley in Roanoke, Ala.
Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. next week in Roanoke, Ala.