CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. — There was some justifiable concern surrounding the Trion High School football team's ability to move the ball with the graduation of 2,600-yard rusher Rob Brown and six of his lead blockers after last year's 10-win season.
Those concerns were heightened after a poor showing in a scrimmage against Cherokee, Alabama. Following Friday night's 45-19 whipping of rival Gordon Lee, however, all seems well for the Bulldogs, who put up 437 yards of total offense.
Logan Eller, replacing Brown as the lead back, rushed for 204 yards and five touchdowns, while backfield mate Toby Maddux added 129 yards rushing, 58 receiving and a touchdown in the season opener.
"I'm just excited for our kids," Trion coach Sean Patrick said. "They've had such a good summer and such a good offseason, but last week's scrimmage didn't go the way we wanted. It did serve a purpose, though, and the kids learned they have to grow through adversity.
"We knew this was going to be an adverse environment against our biggest rival, but the kids came out tonight and executed and were disciplined. This game in Trion matters, and I'm glad we are able to go back home with a win."
Trion scored on each of its four first-half possessions, getting a field goal after a lengthy first drive and needing only 13 plays to score three touchdowns after that. Eller scored on a 22-yard run to make it 10-0, then Maddux completed a 44-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown reception from Kade Smith for a 17-0 lead.
The Trojans got off the mat with a 59-yard run from senior speedster Nate Dunfee to ignite the home stands, but two plays later, Maddux ripped off a 56-yard run to set up Eller's 14-yard touchdown and a 21-7 halftime lead.
A fumbled kickoff led to a quick Gordon Lee touchdown to start the second half, with Dunfee going in from a yard out, but Trion answered right back as Eller's 3-yard score capped a 76-yard drive that featured a 62-yard Maddux run.
Eller later added touchdown runs of 65 and 6 yards after the Trojans had used a Holt Roberts touchdown to briefly cut the lead to 12 early in the final quarter.
"We are very blessed to have really good players back there in Logan Eller and Toby Maddux, and we saw a little bit of the maturation from Kade Smith," Patrick said of his backfield. "Logan is an incredible kid. He has a heart the size of this city, and he's just a pleasure to coach. I know when Logan Eller is on your team you are better for it. He never comes off the field, and he's just a great kid.
"I'm also proud of our O-line, which played so much better this week than it did in the scrimmage. It's a young group with four new starters and two new tight ends, so it's going to take some time, but today was a step in the right direction."
Dunfee led a strong Gordon Lee ground game with 118 yards on 13 carries, with Roberts adding 91 on 12.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.