AURORA | In the early stages of Friday night’s contest at Aurora Public Schools Stadium, it looked like the Smoky Hill football team might end a lengthy losing streak in decisive fashion.
On a roll and staked to a 13-point lead after one quarter against Aurora Central, the Buffaloes could almost taste victory for the first time since Oct. 2, 2015, when they beat Grand Junction at Stutler Bowl.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the outlook wasn’t quite as rosy as Smoky Hill faced a three-point deficit against the rallying Trojans until sophomore Obasanjo Sanni’s second long touchdown run of the game put coach John Trahan’s Buffaloes back on track. They held on for a 27-16 victory that brought to an end a 16-game losing skid.
On the same field where Hinkley snapped a 13-game losing streak a week earlier, Sanni racked up 131 yards rushing and scored on runs of 47 and 40 yards, junior linebacker David Hoage covered a bad snap on a punt in the end zone for a score and Alex Galvan also got into the end zone for Smoky Hill, which improved to 1-3.
Coach Jamarr Kerney’s Aurora Central team shook of a slow start and dug out a 13-point hole after one quarter, scoring the last 10 points of the first half on a Charlie Sneed rushing touchdown and Osvaldo Portillo’s 32-yard field goal.
The Trojans (0-3) took their first lead at 16-13 with just over a minute left in the third quarter on sophomore Breyon Woods’ 25-yard touchdown run.
Smoky Hill had fallen behind early in each of its first three losses of the season, but took the lead this time when Sanni broke some tackles in the backfield, reversed field and raced up the sideline to the end zone.
A short time later after the Buffaloes’ defense forced a punt, Hoage dove on a loose ball in the end zone after a bad snap got past Portillo.
Aurora Central has a road game against Mountain Range at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 in Week 4, while Smoky Hill welcomes Arvada West to Legacy Stadium at 1 p.m. Sept. 23.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or [email protected] Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
SMOKY HILL 27, AURORA CENTRAL 16
Score by quarters:
Smoky Hill 13 0 0 14 — 27
Aur. Central 0 10 6 0 — 16
SCORING
First quarter
Smoky Hill — Obasanjo Sanni 47 yard run (run failed), 7:40
Smoky Hill —David Hoage fumble recovery in end zone (Colton Storm kick), 5:31
Second quarter
Aurora Central — Charlie Sneed 11 yard run (Osvaldo Portillo kick), 7:32
Aurora Central — Portillo 32 yard field goal, 0:18
Third quarter
Aurora Central —Breyon Woods 25 yard run (kick failed), 1:04
Fourth quarter
Smoky Hill — Sanni 40 yard run (Storm kick), 6:41
Smoky Hill — Alex Galvan 5 yard run (Storm kick), 3:57
RUSHING
Smoky Hill: Obasanjo Sanni 13-131, Alex Galvan 4-18, Lyons 1-2, David Hoage 2-1, Brenden Gargan 7-minus 23
Aurora Central: Breyon Woods 9-50, Chau Smith 7-37, Charlie Sneed 10-37, Adonis Cannon 8-25, Erick Covington 5-20, Chris Parrish 2-9, Team 2-(minus 25)
PASSING
Smoky Hill: Gargan 8-13, 54 yards; Sanni 0-1
Aurora Central: Cannon 4-11, 35 yards; Covington 1-7, 7 yards; Parrish 0-1
RECEIVING
Smoky Hill: Lyons 2-20, Hoage 1-16, James Bowers 2-12, Sanni 2-7, Jarrell Trahan 1-(minus 1)
Aurora Central: Sneed 1-13, Smith 1-9, Parrish 1-7, Woods 1-7, Michael Thompson 1-6
