DENVER | The details might have been a little fuzzy, but the big picture of the Cherokee Trail football team’s decisive victory over Denver East Saturday looked pretty good.
Though coach Monte Thelen had plenty of small mistakes to point out in the aftermath of a lengthy, uneven contest at All-City Stadium, the Cougars on the whole dominated from start to finish in a 46-12 non-league victory.
Senior Izaiah Lottie rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns, senior Arsean Wilbon scored on both sides of the football and the defense made four interceptions against four Angels quarterbacks and forced six turnovers as Cherokee Trail posted its second straight quality victory ahead of a short week with a matchup against Regis Jesuit awaiting on Thursday.
Sophomore quarterback Conner Nantkes threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to senior Jason Thompson to kick off the scoring and the Cougars proceeded to put up the first 39 points of the contest.
Wilbon and Quincey Voss rushed for touchdowns in the second quarter and defensive lineman Marcus Burleson Jr. recovered a blocked punt and returned it for a short touchdown for a 26-0 Cherokee Trail advantage at halftime.
Lottie — who ran hard all game long and dished out punishment to would-be-tacklers — converted a fumble recovery on the first play of the third quarter into a 3 yard touchdown and also got into the end zone untouched on a 12-yard run later in the period to take command.
Wilbon’s 20-yard interception return for a score came in between a pair of acrobatic touchdown catches for Denver East’s Jordan Willis.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel. IG: Auroraprepsentinel
CHEROKEE TRAIL 46, DENVER EAST 12
Score by quarters:
Cher. Trail 7 19 13 7 — 46
Denver East 0 0 6 6 — 12
SCORING
First quarter
Cherokee Trail — Jason Thompson 13 yard pass from Conner Nantkes (kick failed), 4:57
Second quarter
Cherokee Trail — Arsean Wilbon 17 yard run (Ethan Muller kick), 9:48
Cherokee Trail — Quincey Voss 8 yard run (Muller kick), 4:13
Cherokee Trail — Malcolm Burleson Jr. 10 yard punt block return (kick failed)
Third quarter
Cherokee Trail — Izaiah Lottie 3 yard run (Muller kick), 11:19
Cherokee Trail — Lottie 12 yard run (kick failed), 6:12
Denver East — Jordan Willis 8 yard pass from Deron Harrell (kick failed), 2:44
Fourth quarter
Cherokee Trail — Wilbon 20 yard interception return (Ryan Sullivan kick), 7:1
Denver East — Willis 22 yard pass from John Sunn (run failed), 1:56
RUSHING
Denver East: Michael Kouba 8-26, Keishon Baker 3-15, Mike Ferrini 6-15, Wesley Ogsbury 5-12, De’tuan Williams 1-2, Deron Harrell 3-(minus 9)
Cherokee Trail: Izaiah Lottie 23-120, Quincey Voss 6-35, Arsean Wilbon 2-23, Conner Nantkes 6-(minus 6)
PASSING
Denver East: Kouba 10-20, 94 yards, 2 interceptions; Harrell 5-6, 55 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; Holden Nicoletti 2-3, 13 yards, 1 interception; John Sunn 3-4, 49 yards, 1 touchdown
Cherokee Trail: Nantkes 6-12, 99 yards, 1 touchdown
RECEIVING
Denver East: Ogsbury 9-122, Harrell 6-72, Ferrini 1-9, Williams 1-4, Jalen Moore 1-3, Baker 1-0
Cherokee Trail: Ronnie Barfield 1-38, Kamal Howard 2-32, Jason Thompson 2-19, Lottie 1-10
