In a game defined by turnovers, flags, and quarterback resilience, the Texas Syndicate survived a chaotic battle with the Tall City Black Gold, pulling out a 23-20 victory on the road.
The Syndicate improved their record to 1-1 with a gritty win, while the Black Gold dropped to 0-1 with a heartbreaker despite generating more explosive plays through the air.
First Half: Black Gold Strikes Early with Defense
Tall City Black Gold jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when they recovered a lateral pass that fell incomplete from Jeremy Hunt and returned it for a touchdown.
The Syndicate responded when Hunt found Marcellus Johnson for a 4-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the gap to 14-7. Later, Jaron Imbrini missed a 49-yard field goal attempt, keeping the game tied at 7. The Syndicate’s defense carried the load when Trevonte Gilmore returned an interception 17 yards for a pick six. The Syndicate took the lead 14-7.
Halftime Stats Snapshot
- Black Gold capitalized early with an incomplete lateral recovery on Texas’ first possession.
- Syndicate showed balance but struggled with penalties and kicking woes.
Second Half: King Enters, Syndicate Takes Control
The turning point came when William King replaced Hunt at quarterback. King immediately injected energy into the offense, completing 10 of 20 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown while adding crucial rushing yards.
In the third quarter, King orchestrated a scoring drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass to Quintavius Workman. The successful two-point conversion gave the Syndicate a 21-14 lead. The Black Gold answered with a 33-yard field goal to close within 21-17.
The fourth quarter remained tense. Black Gold kicked a 39-yard field goal to make it 21-20. But the Syndicate responded with a critical defensive stand and converted the very first Los Dos in CoFL history. A Los Dos is when the punter successfully punts the ball through the uprights for 2-points. In this instance, punter Owen Meister converted the Los Dos, sealing the 23-20 final.
Standout Performances
Texas Syndicate
- RB Trey Sanders: Dominant ground game with 24 carries for 142 yards (5.9 avg). He wore down the Black Gold front seven all afternoon.
- WR DeJuan Bell: Led receivers with 6 catches for 68 yards, providing consistent chain-moving targets.
- QB William King: Sparked the comeback with efficient play and mobility.
- Defense: The secondary was opportunistic. Trevonte Gilmore recorded two interceptions (including a 40-yard return), Rashaad Morris and Michael Robinson Jr. added the other interceptions. The unit forced four turnovers total.
Tall City Black Gold
- The Black Gold went through two quarterbacks, throwing for 214 yards on 14/28 but was plagued by four interceptions.
- Special teams delivered with a perfect 2-for-2 on field goals (33 and 39 yards).
- The defense created an early score but couldn’t contain Sanders in the second half.
By the Numbers
| Statistic | Texas Syndicate | Tall City Black Gold |
| Total Yards | 378 | 312 |
| Rushing Yards | 168 (42 att) | 98 (28 att) |
| Passing Yards | 210 (18/38) | 214 (14/28) |
| Turnovers | 2 | 4 |
| Penalties | 12 for 95 yds | 7 for 55 yds |
| Time of Possession | 32:45 | 27:15 |
Individual Leaders for the Texas Syndicate
Defense: Trevonte Gilmore – 2 INTs (1 returned 40 yds)
Rashaad Morris – 1 INT return TD
Michael Robinson Jr. – 1 INT
Passing: Jeremy Hunt (1st half) – 8/18, 92 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
William King (2nd half) – 10/20, 118 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Trey Sanders – 24 carries, 142 yards (5.9 avg)
Zachary Russell – 6 carries, 18 yards
Raquan Smith – 5 carries, 21 yards
Receiving: DeJuan Bell – 6 rec, 68 yards
Quintavius Workman – 3 rec, 36 yards (1 TD)
EJ Howard – 3 rec, 22 yards
Marcellus Johnson – 2 rec, 28 yards (1 TD)
The game featured a staggering 19 penalties combined, with the Syndicate committing 12. Despite the self-inflicted wounds, their ground attack and takeaway ability proved decisive.
Final Thoughts
This was far from a pretty win for Texas Syndicate, but it showcased their depth and fight. The seamless transition from Hunt to King, combined with Sanders’ bruising runs and a ball-hawking secondary, overcame an early deficit and a mountain of penalties.
For Tall City Black Gold, the defensive takeaways and special teams kept them in it, but the four interceptions and inability to stop the run in the second half proved costly.
Next Up: The Syndicate will look to build on this momentum. They enter a bye week as their originally scheduled opponent, the Fort Worth Braves ceased operations before the beginning of the season.
