Eaton defeats Lamar for Class 2A state title
An unlikely matchup for championship weekend turned into the most game played so far in Pueblo this weekend. The No. 5 seed Eaton Reds and No. 7 seed Lamar Savages faced off Friday afternoon in a game that came down…
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Continue ReadingAn unlikely matchup for championship weekend turned into the most game played so far in Pueblo this weekend.
The No. 5 seed Eaton Reds and No. 7 seed Lamar Savages faced off Friday afternoon in a game that came down to the final possession with Eaton winning 28-21 for the program’s first state title since 2000.
The Reds got on the board first after a long pass from Scott Grable was followed by a six-yard rushing touchdown from Juan Maravilla late in the first quarter. It would be the only score of the first half thanks to both defenses playing opportunistic and forcing turnovers the rest of the first half. Each team had an interception in the second quarter, the first coming from Eaton’s Dirk Duncan and the next from Blake Buxton of Lamar late in the half. A third turnover came when Devyn Kincade of Lamar recovered a fumble early in the third quarter.
Eaton got much-needed momentum when Ryan Dirksen rushed off the edge and blocked a punt, chased it down and then recovered it one yard from the end zone. The blocked punt was followed by an unconventional play with lineman Tanner True taking the direct snap and rumbling his way into the end zone for a score to extend the lead. Maravilla gave the Reds an even bigger lead with his second rushing touchdown, a five-yard run in the red zone, on the next drive.
Lamar’s playmaking quarterback Zane Rankin gave the team life and got them back in the game with two explosive plays for touchdowns, the first being a 30-yard run on the read-option keeper in the third quarter and the other being a 70-yard touchdown pass to Greyden Martinez. Buxton then recovered a fumble, setting up a chance to tie the game for Lamar, but Eaton defensive back Brogan Barr changed the game completely when he got under a ball thrown short and then returned it for a touchdown.
Rankin hooked up with Buxton on the next drive for a 35-yard pass and a touchdown to pull Lamar back to within seven of Eaton, but the Reds got one final stop thanks to Morgan Tripplett rushing from his defensive end spot and forcing a strip sack that was recovered by his teammate to seal the win.
Highlights from the championship game can been seen on YouTube here.