Cheyenne holds off Eagles in state quarterfinal

When it comes to Cheyenne football, running the football is first on the list.

And rightfully so, since the Desert Shields have rushed for over 3,300 yards in 10 games.

However, it was other facets of their game that proved to be the difference Friday night in Cheyenne’s 30-23 win over Boulder City in the Division I-A state quarterfinal.

First, it was a stunning pass play that gave Cheyenne a huge boost just before halftime.

The Eagles trimmed the deficit to 16-9 when Joe Miller found Sam Woodbury for a 7-yard score just 32 seconds before intermission.

But 21 seconds later, the Desert Shields surprisingly struck back.

Thanks to Myloe Lewis’ 28-yard kickoff return, Cheyenne (9-2) started from its own 49.

Quarterback Darrion Hammond hit Devin Tatum in stride for a 51-yard touchdown, giving the Desert Shields a 22-9 cushion at the break.

“That was a huge play,” said Cheyenne coach David Cochran. “We knew that (Boulder City) was a ball-control offense, so we needed to take shots when we could. That TD gave us plenty of energy.”

For Hammond, it was only his 5th touchdown pass of the season.
In the second half, Cheyenne’s defense responded with two key fourth-down stops deep in Desert Shields territory.

“People don’t know how well we play defensively,” Cochran said. “Our defense made huge plays for us, because Boulder City controlled the clock. We are very excited to keep playing football, and we will be prepared for next week.”

Late in the third quarter, backup quarterback Trenton Carmell hit D.J. Koopman on a 20-yard TD, cutting the Cheyenne lead to 22-16.

But Lewis, the area’s leading rusher, answered with a 55-yard scoring run for 14-point lead.

The Eagles pulled to within seven on Carmell’s 20-yard pass to Kaleb Bailey with 1:16 remaining.

Lewis led the Desert Shields with 130 yards on 20 carries. Koopman led all rushers with 186 yards on 20 carries for Boulder City (9-2).