Trinity downs Newport, 35-0, as Thibault scores four TD’s

By ARCHIE MOUNTAIN
MANCHESTER — During his freshman and sophomore years as a member of the Newport High School football team, running back John Thibault was speedy, slippery and shifty.

As a junior and senior at Trinity High School he may be even better.

Thibault scored four touchdowns and rushed for 277 yards Saturday to lead the Pioneers to an easy 35-0 victory over Newport in the quarterfinal round of the NHIAA Division III football playoffs.

With the victory Trinity will entertain Stevens in this Saturday’s semifinal action on its $2.5 million artificial turf field across the highway from the high school. Stevens ousted Campbell, 20-8, in another quarterfinal game.

Last Saturday was only the second time the Pioneers had played on that field and for the record books they picked up their first victory on that layout.

Thibault, a student at Mount Royal Academy in his Newport playing days, dazzled the crowd seated on the new bleachers on the sunny side of the field Saturday.

He got an opportunity to display his speed on two TD runs covering 78 and 54 yards. He also carried the ball into the end zone for his other two scores from 3 and 5 yards out. The final Pioneer score was picked up by Dantre Taylor on a 15-yard jaunt. Liam Mccoy was 5-for-5 on his extra point kicks.

At the outset of Saturday’s encounter Newport fans making the trip had to be impressed with Newport’s defense that kept Trinity off the scoreboard. The Pioneers averaged 44 points a game in each of their eight victories during the regular season.

And then the tide turned and Trinity had no trouble getting into the end zone five times.

Late in the fourth period the Tigers marched down the field and it looked like they would be successful making it into the end zone. However, on a fourth down with two yards to go for a first down the drive came to a stop at the Trinity 11-yard line and the Pioneers simply ran out the clock to end the game.

Newport lost Marius Edwards, its starting quarterback to an ankle injury in the opening period and he sat out the remainder of the contest with senior Austin Malool taking over the signal-calling duties.