AURORA – Things didn’t exactly go smoothly in Valor Christian’s league title-clinching win at Regis Jesuit on Halloween eve.
The Eagles (8-2, 6-0) turned the ball over three times. And on the first half’s final play, four-star junior quarterback Titus Huard suffered a concussion. Sophomore quarterback Rory Mann replaced Huard.
After leading 14-7 at the half, however, Mann and VCHS relied on one of their team words: “Respond.”
Despite turning the ball over on the second-half’s opening drive, the Eagles’ rushing game and solid defense willed them to a 24-14 win over the Raiders (6-4, 4-2). Mann was 4-of-4 passing for 20 yards, and ran in a 14-yard touchdown on one of his eight carries (49 rushing yards).
Valor head coach Mike Sanford and Mann both pointed to the message after the contest.
“I hate to say this, just a little tongue-in-cheek, but today was a day where I actually had to coach,” Sanford said. “So, it was hard, man. Your entire game plan changes; it shifts.”
Before adversity hit, the Eagles started the game strong. They held Regis Jesuit to a three-and-out. Huard then found junior wideout Everett Kieschnick on third-and-long for 31 yards across midfield. A few plays later, Huard threw a 3-yard touchdown to junior tight end Jaret Horn to lead 7-0.
Then, things got a little spooky for the Eagles.
After both teams traded empty drives, Regis Jesuit punted midway through the second quarter. But VCHS’s returner muffed the punt, and the Raiders recovered deep in Eagles’ territory.
Three-star junior QB Luke Rubley capitalized, scrambling to Valor’s 2-yard line on third-and-9. He then tied the game at 7-7 after finding junior wideout Theo Shelburn in the end zone with 6:34 left in the second quarter.
While the Eagles looked for a response, Huard threw his seventh interception in 36 games. Huard tried to sneak a medium pass over Regis Jesuit senior linebacker Cody Hunt, but Hunt used all of his 6-foot-1 frame to haul in his second interception of the year.
“We did not have our best, and that’s a credit to [Regis head coach Danny Filleman], Luke Rubley, and really the Regis defense,” Sanford said.
After thwarting RJHS’s chance to lead, though, Valor Christian scored its second touchdown right before the half. Sophomore running back Elijah Brown punched in a 2-yard rushing touchdown to lead 14-7. Brown (17 carries, 106 yards) and fellow sophomore back Hawk Fulton (11 carries, 59 yards) combined for 167 of their team’s 245 rushing yards.
Huard completed 11 of 15 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown in the first half before leaving the game.
While Valor turned the ball over to start the second half, the defense held strong after Shelburn was out of bounds by a few inches on a potential touchdown grab. The crucial incompletion forced a medium-range field goal into the wind, and Regis’s senior kicker, Charlie Wolpert, doinked the kick off the right upright. The score stood at 14-7.
The teams then traded empty possessions. Rubley and the Raiders had little going, and failed to connect on several deep passes. And Valor took a while to get the rushing attack going again.
After Regis shanked a punt, though, VCHS capitalized as senior kicker Luke Brust nailed a 21-yard field goal with 1:38 left in the third quarter.
Then, after a few more punts, Valor put the game out of reach. Brown and Fulton made several big carries to get into the red zone. And Mann capped it off by keeping a read option, juking a defender and tumbling over the goal line with 6:18 to play.
“[The rushing attack] was so beautiful to watch, and it was also our offensive line,” Mann said. “Those holes were ginormous tonight. It was crazy the amount of displacement we’re getting on the defensive line. It was fun to watch out there.”
The Raiders didn’t immediately fold. They picked up two big third downs. Then, despite not hitting on a deep ball all night, Rubley found Shelburn for a 28-yard touchdown with just over four minutes left. Shelburn had five catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Rubley finished 16-of-38 for 131 yards and two scores.
“That was an all-day job for our secondary, really. Those guys had to cover,” Sanford said. “I got to tip my hat to the offensive line from Regis. They gave Luke some time. We got to tighten up some things and hit the quarterback a little bit more.”
Regis lined up for an onside kick. But the attempt bounced out of bounds.
While VCHS didn’t score, it gave the ball back with 1:11 left. RJHS got across midfield and lined up for a deep kick, this time with the wind. But Wolpert came up short, not giving his team another chance at an onside kick.
Valor went on to win 24-7 and clinch the 5A Southern Football League.
“Everything said that Valor Christian just shows up and gets league titles,” Sanford said. “[It] has not won a state championship in eight years. Has not won a league title outright in three years. So for us to be able to win the first-ever 5A Southern League title and do that 6-0 and essentially run through the league that I think is the best league in 5A football [means a lot].”
