ARVADA — Faith Christian’s Derek LePore crossed the goal line, followed by another Eagle, and another, popping like popcorn kernels in the end zone, their cheers harmonizing with the Faith faithful.
The 5-yard touchdown run was the game-winner in overtime as the host Eagles defeated a stingy Platte Valley squad 16-13 on Friday night under the lights.
“It was an awesome feeling,” Eagles quarterback Micah Twedell said of the finish. “It was relieving. . . . We’re thrilled and humbled — extremely humbled.”
Faith Christian entered Friday at 2-0 and No. 2 in the 2A poll. Winning your first two games 85-0 will get you on that list. But the Eagles actually trailed 10-3 with 4:28 left before Twedell threw a 25-yard dart in the left corner of the end zone, hitting LePore in his chest.
The game went to overtime, and Platte Valley’s Broncos settled for a field goal before LePore’s score.
“I think we sent a message to the rest of the state,” said Platte Valley coach Michael DeWall, whose team was 2-0 but not in the top 10.
“If anyone’s paying attention — going to overtime with a team that’s been putting up 40-plus points a game. . . . If we continue to play this way, certainly a league title is within reach.”
DeWall’s defense was a wall, preventing the Eagles’ offense from doing pretty much anything, minus a couple of big runs here and there. Twedell had four turnovers — three fumbles and an interception — and praised his teammates for embodying their coach’s pregame speech about encouragement.
“We have several stunt packages that we like to run against that double-wing stuff that they do,” DeWall said. “Different plays each time, but we’re going to send someone — they don’t know where it’s coming from — and we try to wreck havoc on their side of the line of scrimmage.”
One of the Eagles’ few big plays broke with 6:08 left in the fourth and Faith Christian down 10-3. Running back Oran Tool collected an option right and chugged down the right sideline, 45 yards right in front of his team’s sideline and squealing fans. Three plays later, Twedell zipped the game-tying pass to LePore.
After Alex Tekler’s field goal gave Platte Valley its brief 13-10 overtime lead, Le- Pore scored on second down.
“That’s our team — unity — we’re a unit out here,” LePore said of the celebration. “But you can’t rest on it — you got to learn from it. We’ll get better from it. We made some mistakes.”
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
