With its biggest test ahead, the connection of the Eaglecrest football team’s defense has never been better.
The Raptors have a Centennial League showdown coming with undefeated Class 5A No. 1 and defending state champion Cherry Creek coming up Oct. 16 and have played the kind of defense that should give them a chance.
With yet another outstanding defensive performance, coach Jesse German’s team picked up its Aurora-best sixth win of the season with a 27-14 defeat of Cherokee Trail Oct. 10 at Legacy Stadium.
“It feels great right now, we’re just so connected,” senior safety Cameron Bell said. “It’s our discipline, pursuit and getting to the ball together. It’s the details and the communication is good.
“Anything is possible for this team, we just have to take it day by day.”
That has connection has been on point for Eaglecrest through five weeks of non-league play as well as two Centennial League contests. The Raptors posted back-to-back shutouts against Chatfield and Denver East and allowed single digits to Rangeview and Smoky Hill.
Cherry Creek is currently the standard by which everybody in the state measures itself and the margin — at least defensively — between it and Eaglecrest is small thus far. The Bruins have yielded just 71 points in seven games, but the Raptors have given up just seven more points.
Leading the way for Eaglecrest is one of the state’s top all-around talents in Bell, a catalyst at safety as well as on special teams.
Blessed with the athleticism and speed that made him a top podium finisher at last season’s state track meet in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles — in which he placed second and third, respectively — along with a third-place finish in the long jump.
Bell’s got five touchdowns to his credit this season, which includes three via punt return and another on a kickoff. He also caught a touchdown pass.
Bell is not alone, however, in scoring on defense. Senior Zane Jackson took back an interception for a touchdown against Cherokee Trail to join a group that includes senior Noah Fulgham and junior Brayden Turner, while senior Sam Johnson has taken back a fumble to the end zone.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Jackson, who picked off a pass thrown by Cherokee Trail’s Bryson Peterson near midfield and took it back to the end zone for his score.
“Last year, we were an OK unit, but this year’s we’ve gotten so much better. It’s nice to be able to perform together on the field and we wanted to exceed expectations. I think we’ve done that so far.”
Even if they don’t score, when the Raptors force a punt, it allows Bell to get his hands on the ball and he makes something happen more often than not.
“I feel like my teammates are blocking everybody they see and setting me up for success,” said Bell, who didn’t have any goal coming into the season on how many touchdowns he hoped to contribute.
“I just want to do it for my team,” he added.
The special teams and defensive play has helped Eaglecrest’s offense as well, as sophomore William Brinkman has transitioned well into the starting spot at quarterback. The Raptors graduated tremendous experience at the position in two-year starter Joe Steiner, but Brinkman has more than risen to the occasion when he’s had his chance as he’s rushed for 10 touchdowns and also thrown five touchdown passes.
Sophomore Clyde Surrell IV has returned to the lineup in the backfield, which already has strong junior Josiah Assibey and senior Sterling Dufour plus an offensive line that has very much come together. Junior JayAnthony Green has found a way to contribute in multiple ways as well.
Regardless of what happens in the matchup with Cherry Creek, Eaglecrest seems to have positioned itself well for the postseason as the No. 9 seed in CHSAA’s Seeding Index.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
