The Eaglecrest football team won the Denver Broncos’ annual 7-on-7 tournament for the second straight season with a victory over Fairview on June 18 at the team’s Dove Valley headquarters.
Led by junior-to-be quarterback Jalen Mergerson, coach Mike Schmitt’s Raptors rallied from a big hole against Bear Creek to win their opener, when on to beat Columbine and Denver South in subsequent games and again came from behind to beat the Knights in the championship game.
Victor Garnes came up with a big interception late, and Mergerson hit Theryne Sandoval for a touchdown with seven seconds left for the winning score.
“The Broncos said they hadn’t had anybody win it two years in a row before,” Schmitt said. “It was a good day for us.”
The Raptors repeated with a number of new faces and without one of the lynchpins of last season’s 7-on-7 title — Colbey Ross — who has given up football to concentrate on a budding basketball career.
Schmitt noted strong performances from Mergerson, Garnes, Sandoval, Corey Corbin, Tyler Peabody and Kenny Wantings.
Though missing four of its regular starting linemen, Eaglecrest also a strong showing in the lineman competition put on by the Broncos, though they didn’t place in the top three.
Schmitt said the Raptors will compete in the annual Hog Wars linemen competition put on in mid-July by Rangeview and will also send linemen to Columbine for another event.
In the fall, Eaglecrest will play in a brand new conference of Class 5A football — thanks to realignment approved by the Colorado High School Activities Association — that includes Rangeview from Aurora, as well as Ralston Valley, Rocky Mountain, Castle View and Arvada West.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel