THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
LD Bell High School Athletics

BEDFORD Once one of Texas’ hottest arch-rivalries, the game pitting Hurst-Euless-Bedford’s Hatfields and McCoys has turned one-sided. On Thursday the supremacy established on Airport Freeway reached a generation old. Euless Trinity bested older sibling Hurst L.D. Bell for a 20th consecutive year, 48-0 in a District 5-6A game at Pennington Field. Trojans running Simeon Ellsworth had TD runs of 46 and 23 yards, while quarterback Esteban Larranaga rushed and passed for a TD for Trinity, which kept pace as one of 5-6A’s front-runners, going to 4-0 in the district and 5-2 overall. “It always feels good to win,” said Ellsworth. “For us it’s another game to get better and toward our goal. We’re just trying to come out and play Trinity football.” Part of “Trinity football” is a bruising rushing game that was executed against Bell. The Trojans ran up 295 yards on 45 carries. Ellsworth had 111 yards on 11 carries, and running mate Courage Keihn had 97 yards on 16 carries. “Our offensive line … they help us do what we do,” Ellsworth said. “All glory to God, but we did a great job” as an offensive unit. The two schools, separated by only a few miles down Texas 183, have met each year since 1970. Bell opened in 1957, and Trinity in 1968. One of the schools’ more notable games was a Class 5A regional final at Texas Stadium in 1982 in front of more than 32,000 fans. The two tied 14-all, but Bell advanced on penetrations. The Blue Raiders, ranked as high as No. 1 in the state that season, remained undefeated until a loss in the state final to Beaumont West Brook in the Houston Astrodome. Bell had beaten the Trojans earlier that season in district play. But the last time the Trojans didn’t win this rivalry game was 1997, the last of a three-game Bell winning streak. The score of Thursday’s game is only one usable metric to demonstrate the Trojans’ overpowering performance. The Trojans racked up 361 total yards to Bell’s 178. Trinity held Bell to under 100 yards of total offense through three quarters, and the Blue Raiders could only muster 13 in the third quarter. The Blue Raiders had only one first down through the game’s first 22 minutes, and one in the third quarter. Trinity limited Bell to 80 yards rushing, 85 below the Blue Raiders’ season average. Beni Kabongo led Bell with 44 yards on seven carries. Quarterback Mason Ornelas, a Texas A&M baseball signee, was 17 for 25 for 98 yards. After punting on its first series, Trinity rained points down on Pennington’s turf. On the Trojans’ second series, Larranaga found Jaylin Buffin all alone in Bell’s defensive backfield for a 38-yard TD pass for the game’s first score at the 3:21 mark of the first quarter. Trinity then took control by doing what it does best: run, run, run. Trinity scored two touchdowns on its next two possessions running 19 plays, all rushing attempts. Ellsworth capped a seven-play drive with a 46-yard scoring burst through the middle, and Larranaga finished off a 12-play, 60-yard drive with a 1-yard keeper to put the Trojans up 21-0 right before the half. For Trinity, Brice Honaker kicked two field goals of 40 yards, and defensive lineman Izaih Filikitonga had two sacks. With the rivalry game out of the way, the Trojans now turn their attention to Hebron, which enters play Friday as the other district unbeaten. The two face off next week. “It’s a big game because it’s our next game,” Ellsworth said. “Whoever our next opponent we’re going to go out there and play Trinity football.”

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
LD Bell High School Athletics

TRINITY STRETCHES MASTERY OVER RIVAL BELL TO 20 STRAIGHT YEARS

JOHN HENRY

Star Telegram | 10/21/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Nurenberg