Fumble-return TD saves Cherokee Trail

Brad Byler, Special To The Rocky

Published September 8, 2007 at midnight

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LAFAYETTE - In a game that featured something unexpected in almost every quarter, Cherokee Trail upended perennial power Monarch 19-7 on Friday night at Warrior Stadium.

Antoine Jones pulled off the biggest surprise to help the Cougars upset their Class 4A Skyline League rival. On a drive on which Monarch overcame a first-and-32 to reach the Cougars' 3-yard line and what seemed to be the go-ahead score, with the score tied 7-7 in the third quarter, Jones caught a loose Monarch fumble in the air and sprinted 98 yards to give Cherokee Trail (2-0 overall, 1-0 league) a 13-7 lead.

The stunning reversal of fortune silenced the Monarch crowd momentarily and changed the momentum.

"There was too much going on in my head to realize what the crowd was doing," Jones said.

"That was a huge play in the football game," Cherokee Trail coach Monte Thelen said. "In close games, there are some really big plays that end up deciding it. That was one of them."

With a penalty enforced on the Cougars after Jones' run, though, the Cougars missed the extra-point attempt and left it open for No. 6 Monarch (1-1, 0- 1) to win.

But in the closing minutes, after Cherokee Trail defensive end Beldy Nseka sacked Monarch quarterback Derek DiCarlo, on the next play, DiCarlo heaved an errant pass on third- and-22. It was intercepted by Colton Kirtley, who returned it 19 yards for a touchdown.

"We're so excited right now we don't know how to act," Thelen said.

Cherokee Trail held Monarch's leading rusher, Cale Soole, who led the league in rushing last season, to 95 yards on 27 carries. It also overcame a 7-0 first-half deficit, forged when Monarch linebacker Tyler Hamlin returned an interception for a touchdown.

"We have a ton of respect for Monarch, and their ground game is lethal," Thelen said. "But it's great to be a Cougar (Friday)."

Cherokee Trail sputtered on offense in the first half, even after recovering an onside kick on the opening kickoff. But the Cougars started the second half with a seven-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass that deflected off Cherokee Trail's Beau Schneider into the arms of Stephen Dickens to help tie the score 7-7.

"They have a bunch of great players and a bunch of great coaches," Hamlin said. "They kept us on our heels."

Cherokee Trail......0	0	13	6	-	19
Monarch......0	7	0	0	-	7

Second quarter

M - Tyler Hamlin 17 interception return (Erik Henry kick).

Third quarter

CT - Stephen Dickens 12 pass from Gabe Walsh (Alex Carlson kick). CT - Antoine Jones 98 fumble return (kick failed).

Fourth quarter

CT - Colton Kirtley 19 interception return.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing - CT, Walsh 13-24, Beau Schneider 7-27, Jordan Bible 4-29, Niko Allen 2-9, Beldy Nseka 1-6, Jones 4-69, Colton Kirtley 1-0, Josh Hoeft 2-(minus 1). M, Cale Soole 27-95, Ryan Stepisnik 11-39, Cameron Brown 9-73, Nicolas Rothschild 4-24, Derek DiCarlo 4-(minus 36), Brandon Vaughn 2-13.

Passing - CT, Walsh 4-8-23-1; M, DiCarlo 3-11- 65-1.

Receiving - CT, Dickens 1-12, Allen 1-6, Kendall Gregory 1-3, Nseka 1-2; M, Stepisnik 2-51, Brown 1-14.

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