NTL FOOTBALL: TROY ROLLS PAST SAYRE, 57-8, IN SEASON OPENER (16 PHOTOS) (2025-08-22)
Valley Sports ReportSAYRE — Defending PIAA Class AA state champion Troy kicked off its title defense with a dominating 57-8 win over Sayre here Friday night at the Lockhart Street Bowl.
The Trojans reeled off 50 first-half points and held Sayre to just a pair of first downs.
Troy took the opening kickoff and scored on three plays, the third a 37-yard TD run by Brendan Gilliland just 59 seconds into the game. Gavin Lykon-Leffler's PAT kick made it 7-0.
Sayre's first possession resulted in a three-and-out, and punter Karter Green was pressured, then dropped for a 9-yard loss, giving the Trojans the ball at the Redskin 11.
Troy moved the ball to the Sayre 3, but back-to-back illegal procedure penalties pushed the ball back to the 13. Josiah Pesesky made it 13-0 with a 13-yard TD run with 8:57 remaining in the first quarter.
On the PAT, Spencer Martin scooped up an errant snap and connected with Mason Smith for the two-point conversion to make it 15-0.
After a Sayre punt, Gilliland capped a quick Troy scoring drive with a 43-yard run down the home sidelines. Lykon-Leffler's PAT kick made it 22-0 with 3 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Redskins fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Trojans took advantage to up their lead when Smith connected with Martin on an 8-yard TD pass on the first play of the second quarter. Lykon-Leffler's PAT kick made it 29-0 with 11:55 left in the first half.
Smith and Trey Teribury hooked up on a 16-yard TD pass on Troy's next possession to make it 36-0 with 8:18 remaining in the half.
After Sayre fumbled the ensuing kick, Troy put the football in the end zone 50 seconds later on a Kael Millard 2-yard TD run. Lykon-Leffler's PAT kick made it 43-0 with 7:28 left in the half.
Martin scored Troy's final TD of the first half with 5:10 remaining, scoring on a 40-yard run. Lykon-Leffler made it six PATs in the first half to extend the lead to 50-0.
The Trojans finished off their scoring with a 31-yard TD run by Hunter Watson with 3:13 remaining in the third quarter. Lykon-Leffler again added the PAT to make it 57-0.
Sayre avoided the shutout with a 2-yard TD run by Hudson Malanoski with 2:14 remaining.
The Trojans amassed 338 yards in total offense, including 285 rushing yards on 17 carries, while the Redskins had just 71 yards — all on the ground.
Gilliland led Troy with 80 yards and two TDs on two carries, while Martin had 60 yards and one TD on two carries, Millard had 45 yards and one TD on four carries, and Watson added 40 yards and one TD on two carries.
Smith completed 5 of 7 passes for 52 yards and two TDs for the Trojans. Teribury had two catches for 24 yards and one TD, and Martin had two grabs for 14 yards and one TD.
Malanoski led Sayre with 67 yards and one TD on 17 carries, and sophomore Riley Johnson added 23 yards on five carries.
Sayre returns to action next Friday when it hosts North Penn-Mansfield.
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IN PHOTO 1: Sayre QB Jayden Morningstar flips a completion to Declan Barry. IN TOP PHOTO: Sayre's Karter Green breaks a tackle. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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