December 8th 2024.
The Broomfield Eagles had a tough first half in the Class 4A state championship against the Montrose Red Hawks. Despite their best efforts, the Eagles found themselves down 28-7 with just 40 seconds left in the second quarter. But Coach Robert O'Brien had one message for his team during their halftime speech: "Don't blink."
Senior Elliot Less, who was moved to tears by O'Brien's passionate words, admitted that it was easier said than done. The Eagles had been outplayed, outsmarted, and out-executed by a hard-working Montrose team. But the Eagles were determined to turn things around in the second half.
After a strong showing in the first half, Montrose was seeking their first state football championship since 1950. They had run their wing-T offense to near perfection, scoring on all four of their possessions. The Eagles were caught off guard by Montrose's passing game, and it seemed like the Red Hawks had all the momentum.
But the talented and resilient Eagles were not about to give up. Led by senior quarterback Darien Jackson, who was named the game's outstanding player, the Eagles came out in the second half with a renewed sense of determination. "We had a little bit of panic, but we didn't let it affect our game," Jackson said. "We just kept telling ourselves that we had to be a second-half team."
And that's exactly what they were. The Eagles scored 28 unanswered points to secure a 35-28 victory and their second state championship in two years. It was a hard-fought battle, but the Eagles never lost belief in themselves.
Montrose had played an almost perfect first half, but the Eagles were able to make adjustments and come back even stronger. "We went 81 yards in less than 40 seconds to make it a two-score game," O'Brien said. "And we got the ball back to start the second half and went down and scored. I told our guys that's exactly what was going to happen."
The Eagles' first drive of the third quarter was a sign of things to come. They drove 61 yards on nine plays, with Less running for an 18-yard touchdown to cut the Montrose lead to 28-21. And then, on the Red Hawks' next drive, the Eagles finally managed to stop their offense.
A penalty and a sack by Less put Montrose in a tough spot, and they were unable to recover. "If we don't get that illegal chop block called there, it's second-and-2, but it ends up being first-and-25," said Montrose coach Brett Mertens. "It was tough for us to overcome. There's three or four moments that you look back on and think, 'If they go our way, we're in better shape.'"
But the game was far from over. With the score tied at 28 in the fourth quarter, the Eagles were driving for the go-ahead score when Less fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Montrose in the end zone. It looked like a costly mistake, but the Eagles were able to make a huge play on defense.
On the very next play, Broomfield's Seth Blenman forced a fumble and Benner recovered it at the Montrose 20-yard line. Four plays later, Jackson scored the game-winning touchdown from two yards out.
But the drama didn't end there. Montrose had one more chance to tie the game, but it was thwarted by a diving interception from the Eagles' Gio Toledo. To seal the deal, Jackson completed a gutsy pass to Benner on third-and-12, and the Eagles were able to run out the clock and secure the victory.
In the end, it was a team effort that brought the state championship back to Broomfield High School. "Montrose played a phenomenal first half, we played a phenomenal second half," O'Brien said. "Our kids wanted it; you could see that in the second half. We made all the plays."
It was a day that the Eagles and their fans will never forget. And for senior Mikhail Benner, who is headed to the Air Force Academy on a football scholarship, it was a dream come true. "It was hard to get open, and they did their job and covered me well," Benner said. "But ballplayers are going to make plays, and I made a play."
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