Trachte sees Ike as playoff contender

Charlie Trachte may not be your prototypical run-pass high school quarterback but he has the weapons around him that could very well take Eisenhower to the playoffs in 2024.

Trachte and the Eagles held off arch rival Lawton High, 35-28, last Friday at Cameron Stadium and in the process he completed 8 of 19 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns, plus he ran for another score.

“I wasn’t happy with how I started but I was able to battle back and make some good throws,” the senior said before Wednesday’s practice. “I missed some wide open receivers but was able to adjust and play better in the second half.”

He started 5-of-15 with an interception in the first half but bounced back by hitting 4-of-5 in the second half including a pair of touchdowns on slant routes to speedster Serrie Sheridan.

“I think our offense is going to be pretty good,” Trachte said. “I think we can contend for a playoff spot. We just have to play a little smarter and get to the ball and make tackles on defense.”

Trachte’s father Aaron is a heart surgeon at Comanche County Memorial Hospital but his son is moving in a different direction.

“No, I’m not wanting to be in the medical field,” he said. “I want to major in accounting and see where that goes.”

He’s also eager to follow his heart to any college where he could play baseball.

“I really want to play baseball in college,” he said. “Getting to play at that level would be special. I don’t have any school in mind, but I love baseball.”

While he plays in the field for the Eagles and also pitches, he’s expecting in college to be an infielder and leave the pitching to others.

He played in the spring for the Eagles and then in the summer he worked out with the Ike football program during the week and then on weekends he’s go to Oklahoma City and play with the Risen Program where he played in the field and was a solid hitter, plus he did spend some time on the bump.

When he has spare time you can find him in front of a television watching baseball, football or basketball.

His favorite meal is a medium-rare steak with anything but a baked potato.

“No, I’ve never liked baked potatoes,” he said with a big grin. “I would rather have french fries or maybe broccoli.”

While both older brother Will and Charlie have been in the spotlight at Ike as the quarterback and dad is well known around town, mom Leslye stays behind the scenes.

“Mom is really supportive and comes to all our games but she’s not much of a sports person,” Trachte said. “Mom is more about me keeping my room clean.”

And she can cook a mean chicken noodle soup that will sound mighty good when that first October cold front comes to Southwest Oklahoma.

This week the Eagles have a chance to bring home the city championship, something that program hasn’t done in at least a decade. If Ike beats MacArthur Friday the General’s Trophy will end up in the Ike Fieldhouse.

“I think Mac has some good defensive backs so I’m going to have to do a good job of making good reads,” he said. “We have to be patient and take what they give us. I think it helped us that LHS was pretty good; they gave us a good fight.”

Beyond this week, Trachte and the Eagles will focus on making the playoffs, another thing that hasn’t happened in several years.

“There are some good teams in this district like Choctaw and Stillwater, but I don’t think there are five or six good teams,” he said. “We have a chance to get to the playoffs but we have to improve each week and play smart.”

That was a reference to 10 penalties for 110 yards in the win over Lawton High and Trachte and the Eagles know that can’t happen as they enter those tough district games in three weeks.