<p>Landon McGovern picked one heck of a moment to come up with his first pass reception of the season.</p>
<p>The Center Grove junior hauled in a 38-yard pass from Tayven Jackson with 8.6 seconds left, setting up the 29-yard Austin Watson field goal that provided the difference in the Trojans’ thrilling 24-21 triumph over Pike on Friday night.</p>
<p>The Red Devils (1-6, 1-4 MIC) had tied the game up with 22 seconds left on a fourth-down touchdown catch by Tyrell Sanders. But a 10-yard run by Daniel Weems got the ball to midfield, and after a quick timeout, Trojan quarterback Tayven Jackson uncorked a deep throw to the 6-foot-4 McGovern, who snatched it out of the air at the Pike 12.</p>
<p>The visitors had one final chance from their own 35 with 4.7 ticks on the clock, but their last-ditch fumblerooski play fell apart as time expired.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
<p>McGovern’s first big moment came midway through the third quarter, when he recovered a Pike fumble off a punt return to set the Trojans up at the 22-yard line. Weems got the ball on the next six plays, eventually scoring from inches out on fourth and goal to give the home team a 21-14 edge with 1:48 left in the period.</p>
<p>It appeared for most of the fourth quarter that that lead was going to hold, but the Red Devils forced a punt with 1:31 remaining in regulation and embarked on a 75-yard drive to tie the game.</p>
<p>The Trojans had time to spare, though, and made the most of it, capping a wild finish to a not-always-wild game.</p>
<p>After a scoreless first quarter that saw Pike venture into Trojan territory twice but turn the ball over on downs, Center Grove got on the board with an 11-play, 68-yard drive. Connor Delp ran 23 yards to the Red Devil 14 and Weems took the next three handoffs, punching it in from the 6 with 8:38 to go in the half.</p>
<p>After two more defensive stops by the Trojans, Delp doubled the lead to 14-0 when he hauled in a 45-yard heave over the top from Jackson at the 1:30 mark.</p>
<p>The Red Devils responded, however, scoring on a fourth-and-goal toss from 5 yards out with just 4.5 seconds remaining before halftime. They then got the ball to start the third quarter and promptly scored again, tying it up on a 41-yard catch-and-run by Anthony Brookins.</p>
<p>Pike then recovered an onside kick and moved all the way to the Center Grove 5 before Anthony Cialdella’s pass to the end zone was intercepted by Kody Quintana.</p>
<p>The two sides then swapped punts before the big fumble recovery by McGovern set up Weems’ go-ahead score.</p>
<p>Weems rushed for 130 yards on 29 carries for the Trojans (3-4, 3-3), and Jackson was 5 of 10 passing for 121 yards and a score. Brayton Spetter paced the defense with nine tackles.</p>
