Hurley Throws 6 TD passes in Big Win over Zarephath

Raymond Bureau | September, 2021

Colin Hurley was on target all night long, and he found 4 receivers 6 times for touchdowns as Trinity Christian Academy put up its biggest point total of the early season in defeating Zarephath Academy 55-8 in front of a capacity home crowd.

Hurley wasted no time at all. On only the second play from scrimmage, he threw a perfect spiral to Darias James, who caught the ball on the dead run and trotted just a few more yards into the end zone for a 38-yard touchdown pass.

The duo hooked up again later in the first quarter on the second play of the drive. In a near replay of the first TD pass, Hurley found James open in the end zone from 27 yards out, and the Conquerors led 20-0.

In between the Hurley/James connections, cornerback Thomas Fryer intercepted a Zarephath pass and returned it 32 yards for the Pick 6.

The first-quarter scoring did not end there. Hurley found Fred Highsmith wide open on a deep post pattern and threw another perfect spiral that Highsmith caught and flew into the end zone with for a 58-yard touchdown reception.

Highsmith caught his second touchdown pass of the night when he made a leaping catch in the end zone from 15 yards out with 9:38 left to play before halftime. At that point, the Conquerors led 34-0.

Hurley threw 2 more touchdown passes in the second half. These times, it was Hurley finding Seth Bialek for 5 yards and a score at the 3:40 mark of the fourth quarter and Travis King with a 32-yard catch and run on Trinity’s final drive.

Bialek was also 7 for 8 in PAT attempts. The only blemish was due to excellent penetration by the Zarephath defensive line to block the kick.

Darnell Rogers scored his third touchdown of the season on a 6-yard power rush with 8:46 remaining in the third quarter. Rogers totaled 60 yards on only 5 carries.

Hurley finished the night with 288 yards on 11 completions in 12 attempts. His 6 touchdown passes came to 4 different receivers.

Zarephath scored on the game’s final drive when running back Mekhai Purkess caught a pass from freshman quarterback Jordan Martin-Durham from 14 yards out with 23 seconds left on the clock. Senior Zaire Lee then forced his way through the defensive line for the two-point conversion. That touchdown capped a very methodic 14-play, 85-yard drive that took 9:47 and followed Conner Scott’s kickoff that ensued from King’s touchdown.

In addition to Fryer, Tyler Jackson and Jaykob Jones each intercepted a pass; Jones returned his interception 61 yards and very nearly scored. Sophomores Nick Williams and Dorean Cleveland each recovered a fumble for the Conquerors.
Next week, the Conquerors (3-0) play their final home game of this stretch when they host one of South Florida’s finest in unclassed, freelance Clearwater Academy International (3-0). The Clearwater Knights defeated Deland 44-7 on Friday.

Trinity will then travel for their next 2 games at Columbia (2-1) on September 24 and at Bolles (3-0) on October 1. The next home game is against Plantation’s American Heritage (1-2) on October 8.

STATISTICS: Larry Withers, TCA Statistician
PHOTO: Beth Bureau, TCA Athletics