Trinity High School (Louisville) - Sports - Football

Football

The Trinity Shamrocks football program is one of the most successful programs in Kentucky. The team, which annually boasts a roster of over 100 student-athletes, is also one of the largest and most storied programs in the state’s history. The 20 state championships are tied for most in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s history and the program’s 500-plus wins put them among the top programs statewide, despite only maintaining a program for 58 years (less than half the years of leader Louisville Male High School's time). The program has seven undefeated seasons, a state-record 50-game winning streak beginning in 1988 to 1991, and three Mr.Kentucky Football award winners in Keith Calvin(1973), Jeff Brohm (1989) and brother Brian Brohm (2003). The team has also won three consecutive titles on three separate occasions, first in 1988 to 1990, then again in 2001 to 2003 and then four consecutive seasons from 2005 to 2008. Trinity plays their home games on Father Harry Jansing Field in R.W. Marshall Stadium. The Dant Clayton-designed stadium features synthetic turf, concession areas on both sides of the stadium, seats for nearly 4,000 visitors, press boxes for both the home and away teams and two luxury boxes. The stadium has also hosted lacrosse matches, soccer games and youth football city championship games.

The team’s primary rival, St. Xavier, has met the Shamrocks in the title game 5 times, with Trinity holding a 3-2 advantage in those contests. The first Friday in October is generally when Trinity and St. X meet at the University of Louisville's Papa John's Cardinal Stadium for the annual regular season rivalry. Typical attendance is usually more than 30,000 people, making it one of the biggest high school rivalries in the country. For the 2004 game, attendance was announced at 37,500 people. In 2008, NFL Films produced a documentary about the rivalry that was nationally broadcast on CBS on Thanksgiving Day. The rivalry between the two powers also often extends into the playoffs. After losing the regular season game 48-16 in September 2005, Trinity defeated St. Xavier in the Class 4A state championship 14-6 in December. It was the school's then-state record 16th football crown. On December 8, 2007, Trinity defensive back Donovan Sims intercepted an errant St. Xavier pass in the end zone and Wes Weitlauf then took a Will Stein hand off into the end zone on the first possession of overtime to seal the first ever 6A championship under the newly established class system that implemented six classes instead of the previous four. Trinity has now won a title in each of the 3A, 4A and 6A classifications, with the most recent coming in December 2010 against Male High School.

Success in 2010 and 2011 saw Trinity finish within the top 15 in national polls for the first time ever in consecutive seasons. At the end of the 2011 season, the Shamrocks were named "National Champions" by Rivals.com and Sports Illustrated, among others. There is no true national champion, as it is "mythical" due to teams from across the country not playing each other for any respective national championship. However, it is a title bestowed upon Trinity, its students, and its alumni.

The following is a list of Trinity's 21 state championships:

Year Coach Class Opponent Score
1968 Jim Kennedy 3A Seneca 29-18
1972 Jim Kennedy 3A Butler 21-0
1973 Dave Moore 3A Southern 16-0
1976 Dave Moore 4A Henderson County 28-24
1977 Dave Moore 4A Greenup County 28-7
1980 Roger Gruneisen 4A Paducah Tilghman 31-8
1983 Roger Gruneisen 4A Owensboro 26-7
1985 Dennis Lampley 4A Lexington Lafayette 28-7
1988 Dennis Lampley 4A DuPont Manual 28-0
1989 Dennis Lampley 4A Warren Central 28-14
1990 Dennis Lampley 4A Warren Central 27-14
1994 Dennis Lampley 4A Boone County 21-7
2001 Bob Beatty 4A Male 45-19
2002 Bob Beatty 4A Male 59-56
2003 Bob Beatty 4A Saint Xavier 17-14
2005 Bob Beatty 4A Saint Xavier 14-6
2006 Bob Beatty 4A Ryle 46-7
2007 Bob Beatty 6A Saint Xavier 34-28
2008 Bob Beatty 6A Simon Kenton 48-0
2010 Bob Beatty 6A Male 38-0
2011 Bob Beatty 6A Scott County 62-21
2012 Bob Beatty 6A PRP 61-7
State Championships 21

The following is a list of Trinity's National Championships:

Year Coach Class Record Polls
2011 Bob Beatty 6A 14-0 Rivals, SI
National Championships 1

Current Shamrocks in NCAA FBS Football:

Graduation Year Player Position College Team
2009 Tim Phillips Running Back Central Michigan
2009 Scott Radcliff Wide Receiver Louisville
2009 Jordan Whiting Linebacker Louisville
2010 Jesse Schmitt Long Snapper Purdue
2012 Tyler English Offensive Line Western Kentucky
2012 Joey Warburg Offensive Line Purdue
2013 Dalyn Dawkins Running Back Purdue
2013 Jason Hatcher Defensive Line Kentucky
2013 James Quick Wide Receiver Louisville
2013 Travis Wright Quarterback Florida International
Division 1 Shamrocks 10

the following is a list of Trinity's "Alumni currently in the NFL":

Year Player Position College Pro Team
1996 Rob Bironas Kicker Georgia Southern Tennessee
Shamrocks in the NFL 1

the following is a list of Trinity's "US Army All-American Bowl Participants":

Year Player Position College
2003 Brian Brohm Quarterback Louisville
2013 Jason Hatcher Defensive Line Kentucky
2013 James Quick Wide Receiver Louisville
US Army All-Americans 1

the following is a list of Trinity's "High School All-Americans":

Year Player Position College
2003 Brian Brohm Quarterback Louisville
2009 Jordan Whiting Linebacker Louisville
2011 James Quick Wide Receiver
HS All-Americans 3

the following is a list of Trinity's Mr. Football Award (Kentucky):

Year Player Position College
1988 Jeff Brohm Quarterback Louisville
2003 Brian Brohm Quarterback Louisville
2013 James Quick Wide Receiver Louisville
Kentucky Mr. Football 3


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