Seyi Oladipo will never forget Friday.
The Eaglecrest High School senior started his day by committing to Boise State. He finished it by scoring two 95-yard kick returns, leading No. 9 Eaglecrest’s 62-50 comeback win over No. 10 Cherokee Trail.
“Today was in the works for a while,” Oladipo said. “What’s a better day than today? I’m like I’m gonna make it the best day possible.”
Oladipo’s first score kept Eaglecrest within striking distance. His second return saved the game.
“It was the perfect day. I’m definitely going to sleep tonight,” he laughed.
The kickoff to the 2020 Class 5A slate was a Centennial League classic. The Raptors erased a 16-point halftime deficit by scoring 35 in the second half.
Ty Robinson, a Colorado Buffaloes commit, also nabbed two touchdown catches, as well as the game-clinching interception.
“We will never back down from anyone,” Robinson said. “No matter how much we’re winning by, how much we’re losing by, we’re just gonna keep fighting.”
On Friday night, that’s exactly what Eaglecrest did.
With the Raptors’ first drive stalled resulting in a punt, the ensuing snap sent the ball bouncing into their own end zone, where Cherokee Trail’s Dakota Rodriguez picked it up for the score. The chaotic sequence foreshadowed what was to come.
Eaglecrest answered Cherokee Trail’s second score, one of Oladipo’s return scores. It was immediately erased when Kenneth Gallegos took a handoff 94 yards to keep Cherokee Trail’s lead. And the big plays continued when Robinson caught a sideline ball and exploded for a 55-yard score.
Cherokee Trail stayed ahead and kept adding on, including a 30-yard passing touchdown from Jayden Lavigne to hold a 43-27 lead at half.
Eaglecrest started the second half with a long, bruising drive that was capped by a Robinson 6-yard catch. The comeback was on. The following Cherokee Trail drive stalled against their own goal line. The punt was blocked by Zephaniah Evans, and Eaglecrest scored soon after to cut the deficit to two.
Cherokee Trail answered with a score. With only 10 minutes left down nine, it was do or die time for Eaglecrest. That’s when Oladipo worked his magic for a second time.
“Don’t think just go,” he explained what he saw when he caught the ball on his second return touchdown. “The more you think the less slower you go.”
Eaglecrest got the ball back and pounded it down into the end zone for their first lead with only five minutes left. Robinson picked off Cherokee Trail’s final drive and the Raptors tacked on another touchdown for good measure.
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