Sheridan, Hurts spark Ike past LHS

Before the season, Eisenhower head coach Javon Harris was talking about having a great 1-2 offensive tandem in Rashaud Hurts and Serrie Sheridan and when the Eagles needed to produce Friday night those two standouts took matters into their own hands, combining to score three second-half touchdowns on explosive plays in a wild 35-28 victory over Lawton High School before another huge crowd at Cameron Stadium.

And it took the last of those three scores to finally subdue the Wolverines who showed plenty of offensive firepower themselves before running out of time late in the game.

The fireworks started on Ike’s first possession of the second half as quarterback Charlie Trachte hit Sheridan on a slant route and the speedster completed the 54-yard scoring play just under three minutes into the third quarter. Ike kicker Bryan Frias added the PAT for a 22-14 lead.

But the Wolverines came right back to score on an 11-play, 63-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 27-yard pass from Nathan Hawzipta to Tavarious Deans with 4:30 left in the third quarter. But, LHS missed on a two-point PAT try leaving Ike with a 22-20 margin.

It didn’t stay that way long as one again Trachte hit Sheridan on another slant route and this time it was a 50-yard dandy for a TD with 45 seconds left in the third quarter.

Ike tried for a 2-point PAT pass but it failed, however, the Wolverines were still within range at 28-20.

The Wolverines saw their chances at getting closer to the lead when Ike had a bad snap on a punt that forced Brandon Goldsmith to try and pick up a 4th-and-10 to no avail with LHS just 35 yards from a possible game-tying score. Nate Jones decided to take matters into his own hands, gaining 16 yards and a first down to the Ike 8-yard-line.

LHS got the score on a nice run off reverse action that sophomore Hunter Jackson took to the end zone with 7:28 left in the game. And Jackson got the two-point PAT on a similar play off a different set that fooled the Eagles’ defense and tied the game.

That’s when Sheridan gave the Eagles a burst of energy by returning the ensuing kickoff to the Ike 41. Ike was unable to get much on the first two plays of the drive but Hurts made a brilliant 8-yard run on a 3rd-and-5 play, keeping the drive alive and eating more time off the clock.

Two more runs by Hurts forced a 2nd-and-6 at the LHS 42 and then the senior saved his best run of the night for his last. He hit over the right side of the line, made a great cut and blew past the LHS defenders to score with 4:45 remaining. Frias tacked on the final point but there was still time left to make things interesting.

LHS picked up a pair of first downs on its final drive but two penalties and then an interception by Ike’s Devion Bailey erased all doubt and Ike was able to run out the clock.

“I felt like we did a lot of good things but we have to clean up some things including doing a better job of tackling,” Harris said. “We were able to do some things like going for a couple of fourth-down gambles but this was a game where we could do that. I probably should have kicked that PAT there which would have given us a nine-point lead but then again these early games are when you can try those things.”

On the other side of the field the Wolverines were taking the loss hard but head coach Lorenzo Williams liked how his club played in the big city rivalry contest.

“We never quit fighting which is what I loved to see,” Williams said. “We are going to get better; these kids will come back Monday and practice hard and work to correct the things we need to improve. We have to focus on tackling better and we need to be more consistent on offense. The great thing is these kids fought hard and never gave up hope. These guys are learning to love each other and play hard for each other.”

Hurts, who was starting his first game after hurting a knee in the third game of the 2023 season had worked hard to rehab and get into shape to play this fall. He wound up with 136 yards rushing on 21 carries and the longest of his runs was the last one that went for 42 and a score.

Ike quarterback Trachte completed 8-of-19 passes or 156 yards and two touchdowns plus he ran for another score.

Jones led LHS in rushing with 95 yards on 15 carries and Hawzipta completed 16-of-26 passes for 123 yards.