Trenton Beats Lincoln Park in Season Finale

Trenton needed a win Friday night for a few reasons. They needed to at least give themselves a chance to make the playoffs, they needed to end the season on a good note, and they certainly did not want to be the team that Lincoln Park beat in front of the MTV camera crew.

MTV has followed the Railsplitters all season chronicling the team's remarkably inept 62-game losing streak for a potential television show. Thankfully, the Trojans made that streak hit 63 games.

"The guys knew that for us to have any chance to make the playoffs, we had to win tonight," said Trenton head coach Bob Carnecki. "It's still a slim chance that we make it, but they came out amped up tonight and that was good."

The Trojans had the home crowd a little nervous to start the game. An interception gave the ball quickly to the Rails who drove down the field for a touchdown lead. But the Trojans went to their bread and butter--number eight Michael Czarnecki.

Czarnecki had three touchdowns in what could be his last game as a Trojan. He got the Trojans on the board with a touchdown in the first quarter, but a failed extra point let the Rails escape the first with a 7-6 lead.

Then the Trojan ran away with it. Led by their senior-laden team, 31 in all who played their final football games at Trenton High School, the Trojans used another Czarnecki touchdown and a touchdown pass from quarterback Chad Hamilton to Jason Barbosa for a 21-7 halftime lead.

Czarnecki ran in another score in the third and senior Norvis Smith capped off the scoring with a long touchdown run in the final quarter which gave Trenton a 34-13 victory.

"It was a sloppy game with us having a lot of penalties. It actually showed some of the things that's held us back all year, but I'm proud of the way they overcame it," Czarnecki said.

The head coach also admitted that Friday was an emotional night for the team and him personally. His son, Michael, played possibly his last game and the program will be saying goodbye to a solid senior class. 

"This group of kids were a group that we've been watching since they were in seventh grade just waiting for them to get up here," Carnecki said. "They were tremendous leaders who kept the guys up last year, and I just hope we find a way to keep playing because it's going to kill me to let these guys go."

The Trojans could, keyword could, still make the playoffs. Carnecki listed about five or so teams around the state that had to lose for the Trojans to get an invite to the big dance Sunday night.

Trenton Patch will have an update Sunday night with the Trojans fate.

Either way, as senior captain Michael Czarnecki told his team in the final team huddle after the game.

"No matter what happens boys," Czarnecki told his team. "There's no other team in the world I'd pick to play with. I love you guys."