AURORA | Austin Conway’s return to the Overland lineup was far from perfect, but it helped deliver the program’s first victory in the Class 5A state football playoffs in six years.
Conway, a junior quarterback who had to sit out the team’s regular season finale, stretched across the goal line on a 2-yard run in overtime that gave the 19th-seeded Trailblazers a 19-16 victory over No. 14 Rangeview in a very tense all-Aurora 5A first round state playoff football game Friday night at Aurora Public Schools Stadium.
The touchdown was the second on the ground for Conway, who rushed for a game-high 148 yards and also threw a TD pass to Khalil Jenkins as Overland — which got another strong defensive effort from Tre Thomas and its defense — picked up its first postseason victory since 2006. The Trailblazers advanced to the second round, where they have a home game at Stutler Bowl against Centennial League rival Cherry Creek.
Freshman Max Gonzales scored both touchdowns for Rangeview, which rallied from a 13-0 deficit to force overtime, but settled for Taylor Thompson’s 21-yard field goal on its possession before Overland won it with Conway’s touchdown.
(19) OVERLAND 19, (14) RANGEVIEW 16 (OT)
Score by quarters:
Overland 7 6 0 0 6 — 19
Rangeview 0 6 7 0 3 — 16
SCORING
First quarter
Overland — Khalil Jenkins 29 yard pass from Austin Conway (Marc Soto kick), 4:49
Second quarter
Overland — Conway 8 yard run (pass failed), 7:25
Rangeview — Max Gonzales 1 yard run (kick blocked), 2:20
Third quarter
Rangeview — Gonzales 7 yard pass from Darien Odegard (Taylor Thompson kick), 4:12
Overtime
Rangeview — Thompson 21 yard field goal
Overland — Conway 2 yard run
RUSHING
Overland: Austin Conway 29-148, Ahjon White 17-75, Dominican Waynewood 2-4
Rangeview: Kietrich Griffin 17-118, Darien Odegard 8-32, Oscar Lorandi 5-31, Max Gonzales 6-2, Arealous Hughes 1-(minus 7)
PASSING
Overland: Conway 15-20, 152 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Rangeview: Odegard 9-16, 81 yards, 1 touchdown
RECEIVING
Overland: Khalil Jenkins 6-92, Waynewood 5-44, AJ Roper 3-13, Andrew Tillman 1-3
Rangeview: Hughes 3-53, Gonzales 4-15, Elijah Reed 1-11, Griffin 1-2
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or [email protected] Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel.
