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Trinity has Bell in need of help

Hurst L.D. Bell had the chance to control its playoff destiny with a win Thursday night and avoid leaving its fate to a coin flip.

All the Blue Raiders had to do was beat rival Euless Trinity, something no one had done this season. But the Trojans prevailed, beating Bell 30-20 at a packed Pennington Field, and forced the Blue Raiders to wait another day to see if they are playoff-bound.

Bell (7-3, 4-3 District 5-5A) remains just ahead of Keller (3-3) and Northwest (3-3), and qualifies should either Keller or Northwest lose. If both win (Keller plays Keller Fossil Ridge; Northwest faces Keller Central), there will be a three-team tie for the final two 5-5A playoff spots. From there, the three teams will have a coin flip to break the tie.

Trinity (10-0, 7-0) has qualified for the playoffs and faces the winner between Flower Mound and Coppell, who play tonight at Coppell. The Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff game will be the third of four games at Texas Stadium on Nov. 15, with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m.

Colleyville Heritage also has clinched a 5-5A playoff berth with a 5-1 record.

The Trojans, who extended their winning streak to 11 games, claimed the 5-5A title and the program’s fifth 10-0 season, the second in three years. Trinity has won 24 consecutive games and its last 22 district games, which includes three district championships in a row.

Up 17-7 at halftime, Trinity went to its running game to control the clock and the tempo. The teams traded third-quarter touchdowns, with the Blue Raiders’ score coming at the end of the period. On the ensuing drive, the Trojans ran off more than nine minutes on a 16-play, 51-drive scoring drive.

Bell quickly answered, cutting the lead to 30-20 when Lehi Tonga found Jason Bolton for an 11-yard touchdown pass. Tonga tried to run for the two-point conversion, but was pushed out of bounds just short of the end zone.

Trinity’s Tevin Williams had a game-high 119 yards rushing on 25 carries, while Tonga threw for 113 yards for the Blue Raiders, but was sacked twice.

Dallas Star-Telegram

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