The Reds football team has battled through adversity to achieve their winning record. After hard fought losses to The Classical Academy (TCA) and Pueblo Central, the Eaton Reds beat Platte Valley 35-7, gaining back their momentum. From there, the Reds went on a four game win streak, beating Fort Morgan, University, and Resurrection Christian.
One of the biggest momentum changes in the season was the win over longtime rival, University. Last year, the Reds lost to University 6-20, making this game even more personal. At the start of this year’s game, Eaton kicked off to University, and they immediately returned it for a touchdown. Although the game began in University’s favor, the Reds’ defense was able to hold the Bulldogs from scoring the entire rest of the game. On the offensive side, Austin Crider (26) and Ely Madaleno (26) both scored touchdowns, ending the game with a score of 14-7.
The season didn’t have an easy start for this team, as starting senior quarterback Connor Davey suffered an ACL tear during the first game against The Classical Academy. Junior Andrew Loyd was called to play quarterback after not practicing the position for two years, with his last experience at quarterback being his freshman year. Though unexpected, the change might have played as a contribution to some of their successes.
Teammate Dylan Paris (26) said, “After Connor’s injury, the team really started to play for him, especially because it’s his senior season. We want to win for him.” Not only does the team already have the talent to win, but it has turned into playing for something more.
Even though Loyd was thrown into the role, he has stepped up for the benefit of the team. Head Coach Cameron Stewart said, “I think he’s done a really good job. He totally embraced the role from day one. Last year he didn’t really want to play there even though I wanted him to. I think he knew it was for the betterment of the team. [However, this year,] he’s been doing really well; he’s gaining more confidence and continues to do a lot better week after week.”
Loyd said, “I was a little nervous at first, but I knew I had to do it for the team.” After some struggles at the TCA and Pueblo Central games, building chemistry with the offense was necessary for him to gain confidence. “From game to game we’ve built more trust in each other,” he said.
The Reds’ most recent game was versus Wellington, and resulted in a tough loss to break their winning streak. The Reds came up short, losing 10-31. Liam Whalen (26) said, “The things we struggled with during Wellington are fixable, so as long as we work on them we are going to get better.”
As for now, the team is prioritizing getting back to their fundamentals. They are deliberate in becoming a better team week by week. Loyd said, “We’ll be able to grow if we are focused on the little things and doing every drill with intent.”
Regardless of how the Wellington game turned out, the team hasn’t lost sight of their end goal. The team still holds on to the hope of winning out the rest of the season. To turn this aspiration into reality, they have to adopt a new mindset and make crucial changes in their approach of playing. Several players have noted that the team achieves victory when they work together in unity, while during losses, they tend to revert to playing as individuals.
Several players have said that the team is going to need to rely on their leaders to find the strength and motivation to continue to play at the highest level they can. This responsibility falls onto multiple players on the team, but according to sophomore Cooper Wiedeman, Bryer Barr (25) demonstrates considerable leadership. “Someone the team can look up to as a leader is Bryer. Andrew too, but he has a quiet style of leadership while Bryer is more outspoken,” Wiedeman said.
If the team comes together and plays with unity, the future is looking bright. When working together, they can overcome challenges more effectively and build momentum, as they have done before during games like University.
The Reds will face the Valley Vikings on Saturday, Oct. 26, and then play Berthoud the following week. Considering that the Reds have three losses, every win the rest of the season is crucial for a chance to get in the playoffs. The Reds are prepared to tackle their final two games, understanding that the pressure has increased since each game is now a must-win situation.
Being known as “title town,” the Reds have a great opportunity to solidify the reputation now that the season is coming to a close.
