(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
GREENWOOD VILLAGE — Through four games this season, Valor Christian hadn’t looked like Valor Christian.
In a rare early season loss to an in-state opponent, the Eagles didn’t seem to have the speed that they have possessed in years past. After starting the season as the No. 1 team in the Class 5A CHSAANow.com football rankings, two losses sunk the Eagles to as low as No. 4. For this year at least, Valor’s run of utter dominance looked to be at an end.
Only, no one told them that.
Behind Dylan McCaffrey’s 222 passing yards and five total touchdowns, the Eagles (3-2 overall, 1-0 5A Centennial League) rolled in their league opener to beat Overland 45-20 Thursday night at the Stutler Bowl.
“The next one is the dominant win we need,” Eagles coach Rod Sherman said after the game. “I think it was a very good confidence building game. Overland is a very good team. I’m really proud of the way we came out.”
But from the get go, the Eagles were out to make a statement. They allowed the Trailblazers (4-2, 0-1) enough yardage for a first down, and then promptly shut down the first Overland drive.
And then Dylan McCaffrey went to work.
He found wide receiver Ben Waters for a 27-yard touchdown pass to give the Eagles a quick 7-0. And that’s about how the remainder of the night went for both teams. A one-yard sneak from McCaffery and another touchdown pass to Waters opened up a 21-0 lead before Overland knew what hit them.
“That’s one of our main focuses as a team,” McCaffrey said. “We want to start fast. If you start fast then you have a lot of leeway for little mistakes. And we had plenty.”
Overland finally caught a break as they intercepted a McCaffrey pass which led to quarterback Ray Rountree finding Dasan Hoover for a nine-yard touchdown pass.
But the Eagles were simply too dominant in all three phases of the game. They punted once in the first half, and the return was muffed by the Trailblazers, giving the ball back to Valor.
Defensive tackle Noah Elliss was also proving to be a thorn in Overland’s side. He was constantly putting pressure on Rountree and got him for a sack that forced the ball into the open where the Eagles swarmed on it.
“I guess for me getting to the quarterback, it was just staying low and shooting my hands out,” Elliss said. “I was just doing my job.”
Leading 31-7 at the half, the Eagles were able to cruise for the final 24 minutes of regulation. McCaffrey broke for a 15-yard touchdown run for his fourth total touchdown on the night. His fifth came on another touchdown pass to Waters, the third connection for the duo on the night.
But the offense in the second half didn’t quite have the dominant feel that it did in the first.
“Honestly, a lot of that was Overland’s defense,” McCaffrey said. “I thought they adjusted really well to what we were doing. We came out with a different game plan than we had in the past and they adjusted really well. They’re a great team.”
The Trailblazers were able to get another touchdown off a Valor turnover, but it proved to be too little, too late.
The Eagles took the game 45-20, putting the rest of the Centennial League on notice that they are as strong as ever.
“If we were scared to lose, we wouldn’t go play some of those good non-conference opponents,” Sherman said. “We’re excited to come back here to Colorado and keep improving.”
The Eagles will play at Legacy Stadium for the next two weeks in league games against Eaglecrest (Oct. 8) and Cherokee Trail (Oct. 15). They’ll return home for homecoming in their state title game rematch against Cherry Creek on Oct. 23.
Overland returns to the Stutler Bowl next week for a showdown with Cherry Creek.