Pine Creek beats Valor Christian, 31-17, while looking like Class 5A title contender

COLORADO SPRINGS — It’s only Pine Creek football’s second season in Class 5A, but the team is already playing like a powerhouse in the classification.

After losing in the semifinals to Cherry Creek in Year 1 in 5A, Pine Creek’s first game of 2023 indicates it’s just getting going as a primary challenger to the four-time defending champion Bruins.

In the Eagles-vs.-Eagles matchup on Friday, Pine Creek dispatched of Valor Christian, a state finalist three years running.

Pine Creek, a former Class 4A powerhouse that won crowns in 2013, ’14, ’16 and ’19, looked the part of a bona fide 5A title contender in all phases of the game in the 31-17 win. Junior quarterback Cameron Cooper and junior running back Jonathan Coar catalyzed the home team, which began the season with a victory by forfeit over Las Vegas (Nevada) in Week 1.

“Tonight was a big statement for us,” Coar said. “We’re overlooked again this year and we know the odds are against us in a big way because it’s just our second year in 5A. We feel like we needed this win to really solidify us in the early-season rankings.”

Pine Creek struck first when Cooper found junior wideout Elijah Roy for a 38-yard TD pass to make it 7-0. The home team was knocking on the door of another TD a few minutes later, but the drive ended with an interception on a failed fake field goal.

The home team added a field goal from do-everything tailback-cornerback-kicker Coar midway through the second quarter. He set up his 17-yard field goal with a 45-yard run.

Valor Christian finally got on the board late in the second quarter, when Mason Walters drilled a 55-yard field goal. The junior, one of the top-rated kickers in the state, made the career-long conversion look easy.

The visitors’ defense got a stand to give its offense the ball back for a two-minute drill at the end of the half, but Asher Weiner’s heave downfield on the final play was intercepted, and Pine Creek took a 10-7 advantage into the locker rooms.

“We felt like we had really outplayed them, but we were only up by (a field goal) going into the half,” 19th-year Pine Creek head coach Todd Miller said. “That was worrisome… But they could not run the ball on us, and that was very encouraging.”

Pine Creek reasserted itself in the second half, driving the field on the opening possession of the third quarter and capping it with Roy’s 11-yard touchdown to take command of the game, 17-3.

Valor Christian battled back on the ensuing drive, with Weiner’s 17-yard TD pass to sophomore Cash Spence cutting the score to 17-10 with 5:14 left in the third.

But Pine Creek had another response in them, and Cannon Budge’s six-yard TD with 10:47 remaining in the fourth quarter put the home team in command. Valor Christian responded with another score via Garrett Dial’s touchdown catch, making it 24-17.

But the Pine Creek offense iced it from there, with Cooper’s eight-yard TD run with 3:01 left the final blow to push PCHS over the 30-point mark.

“They answered in the second half multiple times, and we answered right back,” Miller said.

Pine Creek paid Valor Christian back for the Highland Ranch school’s 24-7 win at Valor Stadium last year.

“We’ve got to clean up the little things and we are going to be really dangerous,” Coar said. “We knew this was going to be a tough game, but we passed the test.”

Pine Creek takes on Vista Ridge on Saturday in Week 3, while Valor Christian hosts Fairview next Friday night. Valor Christian, which lost 24-21 to Regis Jesuit in Week 1, is 0-2 for the first time since 2016, when it opened with losses to Saguaro (Arizona) and Mullen before going on to win the Class 5A title.

“We’re not panicking,” Valor Christian coach Bret McGatlin said. “We’re going to be alright. We’re learning with a lot of new kids on the field. Pine Creek is a better team than us right now. We’ve got to just keep fighting and making some adjustments.”