IRVINE – Troy showed Friday night it is ready for the start of Freeway League play.
The Warriors scored on their first three possessions and went on to defeat Irvine, 46-6, in a nonleague game at Irvine.
The Warriors head into league play against La Habra on Friday night with lots of momentum.
“Our goal was to get better tonight and execute, and I was pleased with our performance going into league,” said Troy coach Kevin Hastin. “We looked at this game as another opportunity to get better and our kids came out focused and playing hard. I think we’re ready for league.”
Troy junior Mitchell Sima filled in capably at quarterback for starter Josiah Norwood, who is still nursing an injury but is expected to start next week.
Sima passed for two touchdowns and 127 yards.
Running back Cole Thomas rushed for two touchdowns for Troy (4-1). Skyler Taylor rushed for 67 yards and had a 29-yard TD in the second quarter.
Troy capped the first half when Thomas ran 20 yards for a touchdown with six seconds left in the quarter, giving the Warriors a 46-0 lead at halftime.
Thomas started the scoring when he ran over from 9 yards out early in the game.
Sima connected with Matthew Ozeki on a 15-yard TD pass on the Warriors’ next drive.
Sima then scored on a keeper from 1 yard out with 3:28 left in the first quarter to put Troy ahead, 21-0.
The Warriors added four more touchdowns in the second quarter. Brett Ferguson had a 62-yard punt return for a TD in the quarter.
The game was played with a running clock in the fourth quarter.
Irvine (1-3-1) scored when quarterback Dylan Stricker connected with Robert Rahimi on a 16-yard pass early in the final stanza.
“We knew this was the best team so far on our schedule,” said Irvine Coach Erik Terry. “We’re still figuring some things out.”
Contact the writer: tiburt@scng.com
