Trojans fall to East Webster; open playoffs at East Union

Despite falling to East Webster 31-0 on Friday night, the Bruce Trojans are looking ahead to the postseason.
The Trojans struggled to find a rhythm offensively and defensively against the Wolverines, thanks in large part to East Webster’s size in the trenches.
“Up front, both sides of the ball, they were huge,” head coach Clint Faust said. “Their quarterback was big and ran the ball well. We didn’t have any answer for them as far as that quarterback counter play.”
Bruce’s offensive struggles were related to their inability to run the football due to East Webster’s aforementioned advantages along the line.
“We didn’t execute offensively like we should,” Faust said. “I thought we threw it around a little bit better, and I thought we escaped the pocked when we needed to. Quarterback-wise, I think [Amari Armstrong] is improving a little bit there, but we couldn’t run the football in between the tackles at all.”
This week, the Trojans are preparing for the first round of the playoffs, their second-straight trip to the postseason and 23rd all-time.
Bruce will match up against East Union, a team that Faust and company are familiar with due to the Urchins being a former division opponent.
“That’s a team we’re familiar with because we used to be in that district,” Faust said. “They’re going to be a gritty, hard-nosed football team.”
Although Bruce lost to the Urchins last season at home 30-25, Faust believes his team matches up well with East Union this season, despite being a four seed playing against a No. 1 seed.
“I think we match up well with them as far as us being the four seed and them being the one seed,” Faust said. “I think we’re going to be a tough out for them. When we played them here last year, it was maybe a five or six-point ballgame that came down to the fourth quarter. Hopefully we can get it going and make it that kind of game this year and it come out in our favor.”
Kickoff between Bruce and East Union is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday in Blue Springs.