No team had pushed undefeated Sterling all year like Trinity Catholic did Friday in Sterling during the Class 1A quarterfinals.
Sterling was up to the challenge, and the Black Bears stopped a potential game-tying two-point conversion in the final minute to preserve a 44-42 win over Trinity Catholic.
It was the second time the teams played this season. Sterling won 34-12 on Oct. 24.
The previous closest game Sterling had played this season was in September during a 27-15 win over Moundridge.
Friday’s game was nothing short of wild. Here’s a short list of what happened.
- Trinity Catholic had back-to-back kickoff returns for touchdowns from two different players.
- Sterling blocked Trinity’s only punt.
- Sterling had an offensive lineman score a touchdown.
- Trinity had three players catch four passes who entered the game with a combined two catches on the season.
- Sterling completed six passes all season before Friday. The Black Bears completed two on their late go-ahead drive.
Sterling played from behind a good chunk of the game, but never by more than eight points. The Black Bears took their first lead with 5 minutes, 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter, taking advantage of a short field following a squibbed kickoff that the Celtics couldn’t corral.
Sterling then took the lead, 44-36, when quarterback Logan Isaac completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Lewis.
But Trinity answered, and with 28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Drew Dechant completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to Roberto Guerrero. The Celtics went for two, and after a couple handoffs, Dechant was open on the right side, but the Sterling defense sniffed out the reverse and hit the ball carrier just before he could throw it to Dechant, and the pass fluttered incomplete.
The first half was tame by comparison. Trinity scored first on Luke Kerns’ 1-yard touchdown run, and the Celtics added two points on Dechant’s conversion. Isaac answered with a 43-yard touchdown run, and Trinity led 8-7 after one quarter.
Each team scored in the second quarter, with Decant scoring from 3 yards out early, and Zane Farney scoring late for Sterling, tying the game 14-14.
The second-half opening kickoff ignited a wild second half that fans couldn’t turn away from. With Kaid McElgunn out after sustaining an injury in the first quarter, Bentyn Chastain returned the kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. After the ensuing kickoff, Sterling scored on the next play from scrimmage, as Isaac ran to the end zone from 54 yards.
On that ensuing kickoff, Sterling kicked away from Chastain and to Adahir Guerrero, but the result was the same, as the freshman zoomed 90 yards to the end zone and a 28-21 Celtics lead.
Sterling answered with a long touchdown drive, but it ended with a bit of drama. Farney lost the ball at the 1-yard line, but it went to Sterling offensive lineman Derek Krone, who recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown, tying the game 28-28.
Dechant gave the Celtics a 36-28 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run, and he threw the two-point conversion pass to Chastain.
Seconds later, Wyatt Newberry ran 63 yards to the end zone, and his two-point conversion tied the game with 8:22 to go.
Sterling squibbed the ensuing kickoff and recovered it, leading to Lewis’ touchdown grab, and Isaac’s two-point conversion, which gave Sterling its first lead, 44-36.
The Celtics were unfazed with Guerrero’s late touchdown, but couldn’t tie the game.
Dechant finished his strong season with another stellar performance. He completed 12 of 16 passes for 143 yards and one touchdown, while running for 57 yards and two more scores. After losing McElgunn, Dechant used almost every option he had, including two completions to Kerns, who had two catches on the season before. Dechant also completed passes to Beau Towell and Adahir Guerrero, their first catches of the season.
Although the Celtics held Farney, who averages 193 rushing yards a game, to 49 yards, Isaac made up for it with 127 yards, and Newberry added 123.
Sterling improves to 11-0 and welcomes Smith Center next week in the semifinals. Trinity ends its season 8-3.
