Troy scores early and keeps swinging, but falls 33-21 at West Bloomfield

WEST BLOOMFIELD — Troy struck first and never stopped taking chances, but West Bloomfield pulled away for a 33-21 win in an Oakland Activities Association crossover game Thursday night.

The Colts got on the board in the first quarter, when sophomore Brayden Selimi threw a touchdown pass to senior Matthew Jackson. Junior Blake Gould added a 27-yard touchdown run.

Troy's willingness to gamble showed up throughout. The Colts converted a fake punt on fourth down in the third quarter, and senior Cole Oury broke off a 29-yard run for a first down. Late, with the game slipping away, Jonah LaPado completed a fourth-down conversion to sophomore Will Eastburn. Defensively, Troy dropped West Bloomfield quarterback Jaxson Carver for a three-yard loss on third down.

Two close losses, then a step back

Troy is 0-2. The Colts opened the season Aug. 27 at home against Grosse Pointe North and lost 13-6, a defensive game in which Troy managed a single score.

Thursday brought more offense — 21 points after six the week before — but also the widest margin of the young season. Through two games Troy has scored 27 points and allowed 46.

West Bloomfield entered on a loss of its own, a 14-13 defeat at Dearborn Fordson on Aug. 28. The Lakers move to 1-1.

What's next

Troy hosts crosstown rival Athens on Friday, Sept. 18. The Red Hawks are also 0-2 after a 49-17 loss to Oxford on the same night Troy played West Bloomfield, which sets up a meeting between two teams still looking for a first win.

Sources: The Detroit News Week 2 high school football scoreboard; MaxPreps Troy Colts roster and West Bloomfield Lakers football; Civic Center TV game preview; The D Zone for schedules.