Fountain-Fort Carson stops Pine Creek's area football dominance 24-13

FOUNTAIN • This doesn’t happen just once in a blue moon. In fact, there have been two blue moons since Fountain-Fort Carson or anyone else in Pikes Peak’s shadow had defeated Pine Creek in football.

That’s what the Trojans did Thursday, posting a plus-five in the turnover battle and displaying a suddenly balanced offense to knock off the Eagles 24-13 in a memorable August matchup between the area’s two best programs.

“Great win, great win — wow,” said Fountain-Fort Carson senior Anthony Davis, who ran for 118 yards, two touchdowns and intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter. “This is perfect. This is a great team win. I applaud every guy in the locker room.”

See a slideshow with dozens of images from the game here.

Some of what happened at Guy Barickman Stadium can perhaps be chalked up to the full moon, the second of August. More likely, it was the product of first game sloppiness.

The final of Pine Creek’s five turnovers came on a first and goal from the 5 with less than 4 minutes remaining. The Trojans added a goal-line stand in the final minute to finally fight off a team that hadn’t lost to an area team in its past 35 games.

“We knew going in that we had to clean it up if we’re going to beat this team,” said Pine Creek coach Todd Miller, who led the Eagles to a runner-up finish in 4A last year.

The Trojans scored on their first possession and never trailed. Trae Bankston added a 2-yard touchdown and junior quarterback Cameron Hacker ran for a 34-yard score and passed for 71 yards in his first start. The normally ground-oriented Trojans passed 12 times in the first half behind Hacker while running 14 times.

“What can you say? I’m just tickled for our kids, who worked so darned hard,” Fountain-Fort Carson coach Mitch Johnson said.

The highlight of the night was Davis’ weaving 44-yard touchdown run to put the Trojans up by two scores in the second quarter.

He ran about 20 yards, cut 50 yards across the field and found the end zone.

“I was thinking first down,” Davis said. “And then I looked left and I saw it. I thought, why not, I’ll try it. You never know.”

Despite the turnovers and facing a 5A team that looks ready for a deep playoff run, Pine Creek was never out of the game. Quarterback Kyle Windebank, despite splitting time with Kamden Adkins, threw for 147 yards, a touchdown and added an 11-yard scoring run.

Austin Schultz led Pine Creek with 78 rushing yards. But neither Schultz nor anyone else could break through the Trojans’ defense in the frantic waning moments as the Eagles needed a score to set up an onsides kick and a miracle.

It didn’t happen. And the city’s balance of power shifted south for the first time 2007.