Team of the Week: West Brunswick football rallies past New Hanover in comeback victory
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The West Brunswick Trojans proved that a football game can change in a matter of minutes, overcoming a 15-point deficit to defeat New Hanover 26-21 in a crucial conference matchup. The comeback victory earned West Brunswick football WWAY’s Team of the Week honors.
“Going into that game… Nobody really believed in us. Going across the bridge, everybody thinks, it’s Wilmington, we’re not gonna win. But we go across the bridge, we prove that we can win, that means everybody else gotta look out,” West Brunswick safety Isac Clarida said.
The Trojans struggled early, falling behind before their senior players stepped up and helped shift the momentum.
“Some of our senior leaders had a little conversation after the first quarter and… a switch flipped, and they just decided to start playing football. We’ve started slow the last couple of weeks and it’s just, trying to dig yourself out of the hole sometimes is tough,” West Brunswick head football coach Aaron Powell said.
The comeback was especially significant for a West Brunswick team that has faced adversity throughout the season.
After losing its starting quarterback in the third game of the season, the Trojans turned to backup Kyle Floyd, who was immediately tasked with facing some of the toughest competition in the conference. Powell said Floyd has continued to develop since.
“We ask our backup to go in and play Lanny and Hoggard the two biggest schools in our division and then now you’re starting to see that he’s starting to feel a little bit more confident. He’s getting a little bit more comfortable,” Powell said.
Despite the challenges, the Trojans have continued to emphasize staying focused and responding when things do not go their way.
“We came out just too slow and then locked in, got it together,” Clarida said.
Powell said that mindset has become an important part of the team’s growth.
“You need to just focus on your six seconds each play and I think they’re starting to understand that idea,” Powell said.
The victory provides a much-needed boost for West Brunswick as the Trojans prepare for another conference matchup. West Brunswick will face Topsail this week, with both teams entering the game at 2-6 on the season.
