Capping off a near offensive masterpiece, sophomore kicker Cash Daley sealed the Eagles’ 43-42 victory over 5A Sunrise Mountain on Sept. 7.
Battling back from a 21-7 first-half deficit, Daley nailed a 23-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining to put the finishing touches on a 36-point second-half effort led by junior quarterback Cameron Matthews.
Making his second career start for the Eagles, Matthews looked like a poised veteran, connecting on 20 of 34 passing for 302 yards and five touchdowns, while adding another score on the ground.
Getting the ball in the hands of his most dynamic playmaker, Matthews connected with senior Easton Welbourne on seven passes for 153 yards and three scores.
Senior Aiden Cherney caught five passes for 55 yards and a score, while senior Garrett Adams caught an 18-yard touchdown pass.
“Cameron did a really good job out there,” Welbourne said. “I don’t think he threw a bad ball all night. It was definitely nice to see him more comfortable out there. He played a great game.”
On the ground, senior Sam Bonar rushed for 73 yards on 20 carries, while Welbourne rushed for 30 yards on nine attempts.
Making plays defensively when needed, senior Scott Usyznski recovered a pair of fumbles.
Meanwhile, senior Dimitri Antico (five tackles and one sack) added a fumble recovery of his own.
Sophomore Ghavyn Cartier added an interception for the Eagles, while Bonar (nine tackles and one sack) forced three fumbles.
Senior Cooley Campbell (six tackles) and senior Landon Goodhue each generated a sack.
Nearly going undefeated during the preseason, the Eagles are riding a wave of confidence heading into league play.
“We’re playing really good football right now,” Welbourne said. “We just beat a 5A school. This was a really good win for us. Everyone is stepping up and doing their jobs and communicating.”
They’ll first be tested this Friday with a home matchup against Mater East.
Contact Robert Vendettoli at robvendettoli@yahoo.com.