Coming into Haven, the Trojans' start had been eerily similar to last season's-a win over Lyons and a loss to Chapman. And, like last season, the Trojans faced a Haven squad they had the potential to beat. Instead, Haven won, 20-6.

With Central Division powers Smoky Valley and Wichita Collegiate looming again the next two Fridays, the Trojans desperately needed a victory to boost their confidence and change the course of last season's 2-7 finish.

But even the most diehard Trojan fan had to wonder if history was about to repeat itself once more.

Through the first five possession exchanges, neither team had much success on offense. Haven managed the only first down between them.

But with 2:48 left in the opening period, the Trojans absorbed a staggering blow when Haven halfback Isiah Barfield lobbed the ball downfield toward wide receiver Casey Stewart. The senior caught the ball at about the 15-yard line, caught defender David Funk off balance, and ran past him for a 51-yard score.

The Trojans blocked the extra-point attempt, but trailed 6-0.

Neither team scored through halftime, thanks in no small part to two interceptions by Lyons and a Ben Schaefer fumble recovery and Matt Brown interception by Hillsboro.

The Trojans were robbed of a chance at the end zone in the final seconds when quarterback Josh Boese passed to Schaefer, who ran out of bounds around the 20-yard line with at least one second left on the clock. But officials ruled time had run out.

Whether it was that tough call that inspired them, Hillsboro played with more spark as the third quarter began. The Trojans got to within 20 yards of paydirt midway through the period before falling short of a first down on a fourth-and-five run.

After the defense shut down the Wildcats with a three-and-out effort on the next possession, Hillsboro's Matt Brown made a gutsy catch amid traffic on a short punt to give the Trojans the ball at Haven's 34-yard line with 1:38 left in the third quarter.

From there, Hillsboro advanced on the determined legs of running back Michael Suderman, who found success-and a touchdown-up the middle. The junior carried the ball seven of the nine plays and picked up all but three yards of the needed real estate, including a two-yard plunge for the score.

Funk's kick barely cleared the crossbar, but the extra point gave Hillsboro a tentative 7-6 lead with 9:57 left in the game.

After Haven misfired with a penalty on the first play of its next possession, Hillsboro's Adam Scheele gathered in a high-arching pass from Wildcat quarterback Aaron McClellan to give Hillsboro the ball on its 45-yard line.

Hillsboro resumed its attack on the middle of Haven's line with three running plays. Then fullback Lucas Hamm cut to the right and swept the end for a 31-yard pickup that carried the Trojans to the Haven 5.

From there, Boese broke off right tackle and squeezed into the end zone for the score. This time, Funk nailed the kick impressively and the Trojans were leading, 14-6, with 7:42 to play.

Three plays later, Suderman picked off a pass thrown by freshman substitute-quarterback Byron Nienstedt to give Hillsboro the ball at the Haven 44-yard line.

With the Trojans moving toward another score, Hamm fumbled and Haven recovered at its own 21.

But the Trojan junior more than redeemed himself. Seven plays later, Hamm picked off another Nienstedt pass and ran it back 45 yards for Hillsboro's third and final score.

Given the obvious swing in momentum, Hamm's touchdown and Funk's PAT kick secured the 21-6 victory with 3:21 to go.

But the Trojans weren't satisfied. Brown picked off one more Nienstedt pass with 1:51 to play. The Trojans could have scored again, moving the ball from Haven 23-yard line to the 2 in three plays. But Boese took a knee and let the final 30 seconds evaporate.

Trojan coach Len Coryea called the win "pivotal," but admitted he harbored some doubts about the outcome through the first half.

"I had visions of, 'Oh mercy, now what do you do?'" he said about the lingering 6-0 deficit. "Momentum is always the key. So it was a real big game for us. Now we know that we can go out and play hard."

Coryea credited his players for the second-half turnaround, with a special nod to junior offensive lineman Darren Enns, who suggested the Trojans run up the middle because his Haven counterpart was shooting to the outside on every play.

"We finally hit that little seam they were going to give us, and we took it," Coryea said.

"It's too bad we didn't do it earlier-run straight at them," Coryea said. "It was an easier block. After (a few successful runs), you get momentum and it builds on itself."

The Trojans finished with 309 yards total offense, 252 of it coming on the ground on 45 carries.

Although Suderman carried the freight late in the game and finished with 77 yards on 21 carries, senior Tim Funk was Hillsboro's leading rusher with 85 yards on 14 carries. Hamm chipped in 54 yards on four carries and Boese 36 yards on six carries.

Boese struggled through the air, completing only four of 13 passes for 57 yards with three interceptions.

The Trojan defense, meanwhile, limited Haven to only 126 yards, including 65 on the ground on 27 carries. All but 10 of Haven's 61 passing yards came on Barfield's halfback pass. Hillsboro intercepted five Wildcat 15 throws.

"They've thrown the ball up high for grabs all year-we just knew that," Coryea said. "We had to stay back there because they're going to give you a chance (for the interception)."

The Trojans' aggressive play in the second half was key to the victory, he added.

"We were always playing not to lose-we needed to play to win," he said. "I think they've been waiting for the magic moment, and we went out and got it this time."

Coming-The Trojans (2-1) will play the first of back-to-back tough home games this Friday when Smoky Valley (2-1) comes to Reimer Field. The Vikings' only loss was as a 17-13 setback to undefeated Collegiate, who will come to town Sept. 30.

Admission to the Smoky Valley game is free, thanks to a donation by Golden Heritge Foods, but fans are asked instead to donate cash toward Hurricane Katrina relief.