» By MARLON SCOTT – mscott@my.apsu.edu
After beating TSU, 37-34, then losing to UT Martin, 61-23, the Govs are now 1-1 in the Sgt. York Trophy Series.
The only team they have yet to face in the series this season is Tennessee Tech, who they will play on the road in their last game of the regular season. As the last game of the series this season, it could determine the winner of the Sgt. York Trophy.
The Govs must win that game to have a chance of earning the trophy, but they will also need some help.
As of press time, Monday Oct. 24, three of the six games in the series have been played. Like APSU, UT Martin is currently 1-1 in the series, Tennessee Tech is 1-0 and TSU is 0-1.
Currently undefeated in the series, Tennessee Tech would obviously earn the trophy if they remain so by winning their next two games, including the last game of the season against the Govs.
However, the Govs also need TSU to defeat UT Martin on Saturday, Nov. 12. As last year’s series winner, UT Martin will retain the trophy in the event of a tie. Thus, if they defeat TSU and still lose to the Govs in the last game of the series, both they and the Govs will be tied at 2-1, sealing their victory again.
Since the creation of the series in 2007, the Govs are the only team involved in the series yet to win the Sgt. York Trophy. TSU won the trophy in its inaugural season and again in 2008.
In 2009, Tennessee Tech won the series. Undefeated in the series games last season, UT Martin was awarded the Sgt. York Trophy in March.
Sponsored by the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office, the Sgt. York Trophy is only the second-traveling trophy for which more than two teams in college sports compete. The other is the Commander in Chief’s Trophy. The Army, Navy and Air Force teams compete for that trophy.
The trophy is named in honor of Alvin C. York, one of Tennessee’s most famous soldiers. York served in World War I, for which he received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1919.
He is also renown for the school he established to provide education to underprivileged children .
York died on Sept. 2, 1964. His institute and foundation are still in operation and a statue of him can be found outside the Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville.
The four Tennessee schools in the OVC, TSU, APSU, Tennessee Tech and the UT Martin have competed for the trophy since it was created in 2007.
The team with the best head-to-head record in the Sgt. York Trophy series is awarded the trophy at the annual O’Charley’s Dinner of Champions hosted by the Nashville Sports Council in the spring.
In the event of a tie, two schools will share the trophy.
However, if one of the schools is the previous season’s winner, that school will retain the trophy.
If the tie involves two schools that did not win the previous season, then the trophy will be awarded to the school that has gone the most seasons without winning the trophy. TAS
