(Logan Borgmann)
The anticipation of the game between Centennial League rivals Cherry Creek and Cherokee Trail was palpable in spite of the cold and wet weather that greeted both teams at Legacy Stadium.
Cherokee Trail entered the game ranked No. 4 and Cherry Creek ranked No. 8 in the latest CHSAANow.com poll.
The fans in attendance were not disappointed as the two inter-league foes went toe-to-toe for four quarters. And, if not for an errant extra point attempt, they might still be playing.
Cherry Creek left the stadium with a 28-27 win after the Cougars missed on the PAT that would have tied the game with just 29.3 seconds left. The kick went wide left and the Bruins improved to 5-1, while Cherokee Trail fell to 4-2. Creek now sits alone in first place in the Centennial Conference at 2-0.
Cherokee Trail, the Class 5A runners up last season, struck first as the Cougars’ Isaiah Lottie picked off and errant Cameron Brucker pass and raced 59 yards for a touchdown. Jerdan Daniels hit the extra point and the home team led 7-0. In Brucker’s defense, he was hit by a CT lineman just as he released the pass.
It didn’t take Cherry Creek long to get even in the game, as the Bruins used a combination of outside runs by Milo Hall and inside power running by DJ Luke to move down the field. Hall evened things up when he burst through the left side for 25 yards. A Henry Lyon PAT made the score 7-7 with 6:42 left in the first.
Cherry Creek continued to put on the offensive pressure, primarily on the ground and moved ahead in the second quarterback as Luke dove into the end zone from a yard out. Another Lyon PAT gave the Bruins a 14-7 lead at 10:48.
The teams traded possessions for the next six minutes until the Cougars mounted a drive that Cameron Smith capped off with a 6-yard plunge. Daniels’ PAT tied the game at 14-14, where it stayed through halftime.
Turnovers looked to be the difference in the contest in the third when Cherokee Trail’s Aric Johnson fumbled on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. It didn’t take long for Cherry Creek to capitalize, as Luke scored from four yards out and the PAT made it 21-14 in favor of the visitors.
Another fumble by the Cougars gave the Bruins excellent field position again in the third, but after three stops by the CT defense, a 29-yard field goal attempt failed and Cherokee Trail got the ball back. The Cougars moved down the field and at 6:49 in the third, Smith ran in from the six, and Daniels’ PAT tied the game at 21-21.
Cherokee Trail threatened again in the third, but turned the ball over on an interception.
Cherry Creek’s Luke picked up his third touchdown of the game when he burst up the middle from 25 yards out. Lyon added his fourth PAT and Cherry Creek led 28-21 with 1:51 left in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter found both defenses standing up to the offensive challenges of their opponents and both teams had turnovers in the quarter. As the game see-sawed back and forth with first one team, then the other moving the ball a bit but then having to punt, it looked as if the Bruins could close out the game with just over three minutes remaining. Cherry Creek intercepted a Johnson pass with 3:14 and looked to run out the clock.
The Cougar defense stiffened yet again, forcing Cherry Creek into a passing situation. As the home team defense pressured Brucker, Evan White stepped in front of a Bruin receiver and intercepted the pass, giving Cherokee Trail one last shot at tying the game.
Several runs by Smith and a 26-yard Johnson to Keeland Thompson pass moved the Cougars down to the 11 when Smith ran around the left side for a score at the 40.2-second mark. But, a holding penalty brought the ball back to the 12. Undeterred, Smith pin balled off two Bruins on the next play and scored at the 29.3 mark. The extra point kick sailed wide left and Cherry Creek recovered CT’s onside kick attempt to hold on for the win.
For the Bruins, Hall ran 22 times for 68 yards and the one TD, while Luke had three scoring runs on 14 attempts for 80 yards. Joseph Parker added 17 yards on his one carry. Brucker was six of 12 for 60 yards, two interceptions and no TDs passing. Parker had two receptions for 38 yards, Mikey McCauley had three catches for 11 yards, and Hall one for 12.
For the Cougars, Smith ran 21 times for 97 yards and three TDs, while Johnson carried 12 times for eight yards and Cameron Currington added three yards on two carries. Johnson completed 13 of 21 passes for 133 yards. He was intercepted twice.
Isaiah Kaiser had three receptions for 20 yards, while Currington had three for 10, Smith two for 27, Thompson three for 55 and White one for 13.
The two teams each had four turnovers, Cherry Creek with two in each half. All of Cherokee Trail’s came in the second half.
Cherry Creek plays Smoky Hill next, while Cherokee Trail goes up against Grandview. Both games are slated for October 11.