PUEBLO — In a rematch of the 2023 6-man state championship game, the Cheyenne Wells Tigers defeated Stratton 50-27 to capture the program's second state championship.
Cheyenne Wells and Stratton are no strangers to the championship game. For the Tigers, this marks the third time in four seasons that they have made an appearance.
Stratton has gotten to the season's final game for the eighth year in a row.
The 2024 championship match-up is the third time since 2021 these two teams have met at this stage. Cheyenne Wells won their first title against the Eagles in that 2021 game, and then Stratton defeated the Tigers in last year's match-up.
Cheyenne Wells’ returning players did not forget what happened last year and they opened up the game by sending the message “this is a new year.” Zach Dickey used a play action to fake out the defense and proceeded to find a wide-open Chason Turner who scored the first points of the game and put the Tigers up 8-0.
Stratton responded with a touchdown run by Brody Webb to make it 8-6 by the end of the first quarter. Cheyenne Wells’ Trey Scheler introduced himself in the second quarter as he scored two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, to help the Tigers to a 22-19 halftime lead.
Tigers' defense came up with a huge stop to start the second half and the offense capitalized as Dickey kept it on the ground and reached across the goal line to extend their lead to 30-19.
Just before the third quarter could end, Luis Arzaga caught a touchdown pass for the Eagles to bring them within one score heading into the fourth.
Stratton’s hopes would be crushed in the first minute of the final frame. Scheler found the end zone for a third time on the first play of the fourth quarter, then the Tigers' defense forced a turnover.
The offense took over and went right back to Scheler who scored his fourth touchdown before sixty seconds could run off the clock in the quarter.
As if he hadn’t done enough, Scheler put the game away with his fifth touchdown of the game and propelled the Tigers to their second title. Scheler was named the top performer of the game.
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