AURORA | As league openers go — or any game for that matter — Thursday night’s clash between unbeatens Eaglecrest and Cherokee Trail had absolutely everything.
Explosive plays, costly turnovers, huge momentum swings, pomp and circumstance, conference implications and a game-winning kick in the closing seconds.
At the end of a wild ride at jam-packed Legacy Stadium, the Raptors prevailed over the Cougars 29-27 on a 22-yard field goal by senior Trey Patton. Set up by a 54-yard punt return by senior Cy White, Patton’s kick made it a happy Homecoming for coach Jesse German’s Raptors, who moved to 4-0 and 1-0 in Centennial League play.
Coach Justin Jajczyk’s Cherokee Trail (3-1, 0-1) team put itself in prime position for victory with just over three minutes left in regulation when junior AB Zuragait sacked Brinkman on fourth down to give the Cougars the ball.
That’s when the craziness began.
Junior quarterback Bryson Peterson — who moments earlier had thrown a go-ahead touchdown pass to junior Evan Smith to cap a three-touchdown night — mishandled a shot gun snap and Eaglecrest junior Cooper Shaw wrestled the loose ball away.
Two plays later, the Raptors had first-and-goal at the 8 yard-line, but their own misfortune struck when junior quarterback William Brinkman fumbled and Cherokee Trail’s John Parry recovered. Through a variety of penalties — including an offensive pass interference that wiped out what would have been a 99-yard touchdown catch for senior Jordan Mitchell, who earlier in the game had a 91-yard score — the Cougars were pinned at their own 1-inch line.
They got a little bit of breathing room before they had to punt. Zuragait’s kick sent White back into his own end of the field and he reversed field and beat a host of Cherokee Trail players up the sideline before he was forced out at the 3.
Two players later, Patton came on and calmly connected on his third field goal — the other two came from 40 and 41 yards — to give the Raptors the go-ahead points.
Senior JayAnthony Green — who caught two touchdown passes from Brinkman earlier in the game — brought he game to a close when he intercepted Peterson’s deep heave on the final play of regulation.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
(4) EAGLECREST 29, CHEROKEE TRAIL 27
Score by quarters:
Cherokee Trail 14 0 6 7 — 27
Eaglecrest 19 0 7 3 — 29
SCORING
Eaglecrest — JayAnthony Green 24 yard pass from William Brinkman (Trey Patton kick), 7:14
Eaglecrest — Patton 40 yard field goal, 4:01
Cherokee Trail — Bryson Peterson 79 yard run (AB Zuragait kick), 3:10
Eaglecrest — Green 64 yard from Brinkman (Patton kick), 2:12
Second quarter
Eaglecrest — Patton 41 yard field goal, 3:51
Cherokee Trail — Jordan Mitchell 91 yard pass from Peterson (Zuragait kick), 3:33
Third quarter
Cherokee Trail — Dorian Harris 1 yard run (pass failed), 8:33
Eaglecrest — Jayden Bradley 95 yard kickoff return (Patton kick), 8:15
Fourth quarter
Cherokee Trail — Evan Smith 11 yard pass from Peterson (Zuragait kick), 11:07
Eaglecrest — Patton 22 yard field goal, 0:03
