The 2021 season was a struggle for the Trinidad Trojans , but the players who fought their way through a winless season have come back confident and hungry .

“ I feel we ’ re going to grow a lot ,” second year coach Michael Warren said . “ We ’ ve got five guys coming back on each side of the ball . But it ’ s the same five guys . They ’ ll go both ways .”

Warren looks back on last year as one where his team , though short in numbers , was improving in the latter part of the season .

“ One of our biggest things last year was just lack of experience ,” he said . “ We had 14-year-old kids making 18-year-old decisions in the real fast game of six-man football . Most of the guys coming back will be sophomores and were freshmen last year .”

The 2022 team should also benefit from more depth .

“ When we started last year , we had six kids come out ,” Warren said . “ I was using time outs to rest people and get them going in the right direction . This year , we ’ ve got a couple more kids that are going to come out for us that will give us a little more offensive power and a little more speed on defense .”

Warren expects the defense to be more aggressive this year , with , hopefully , more backfield penetration than a year ago .

“ We ’ ll be trying to use our quickness a little bit ,” Warren said .

Warren played for Trinidad in the ‘ 90s , during some of the most successful days of the program . He ’ d like the offense to resemble the mindset of those teams .

“ Lets run the football and do what we have to do . We ’ ll pound away at them ,” Warren said .

What is the key to getting the Trojans back among the elite ?

“ It ’ s buy in . There have been a lot of changes at the helm and it takes a while to build something ,” Warren said . “ Once the kids buy in and have trust that ’ s what ’ s going to start building the program .”

Trojans who bear watching this year

Once the kids buy in and have trust that ’ s what ’ s going to start building the program . — Michael Warren

MICHAEL WARREN HEAD COACH

include RB / LB Kacey Womack , RB / DB Ro ’ kwon Womack , FB / DL Chris Ayala , C / DL Montez Shofner , QB / DB Jack Stephens and TE / DB Cutter Clark .

Warren wants the players to be successful in their other sports and in the classroom , as well as football .

“ Winning ’ s a culture and once you set that culture the kids want to win in whatever they put their hands on ,” he said . “ I think Trinidad will be able to compete in everything .”

The 2021 schedule was doubly tough on a team with no experience or depth . District foes Fannindel and Bowie Goldberg were experienced and at their peak .

Seven of the 10 teams they played last year went to the playoffs , with three making it to the regional round . This year ’ s schedule figures to be more manageable .

The Trojans wont play a district game until they visit Oakwook Oct . 21 .

Oakwood was 8-4 and a playoff team last year . Fannindel went 7-3 last year , while Apple Springs , the other foe in the four-team district , finished 2-8 .

TRINIDAD TROJANS

GAME CHANGERS

There ’ s still a lot of youth on this Trojans team , but they can lean on the experience of some returning seniors . Running back / defensive back Kwon Womack , Senior Tight end / DB Cutter Clark and 220 pound Center / defensive lineman Montez Shofner .

Womack

Shofner

76 | Fanfare 2022

2022 SCHEDULE