Auburn football makes late comeback, advances to postseason

Auburn High School football knew that they needed more than just a win against Auburn Riverside on Nov. 1 to make the postseason.

But when all was said and done, the Trojans defeated their crosstown rivals 21-20, and with Tahoma’s defeat of Stadium, Auburn found its way to the third seed in the 4A NPSL.

“We knew the situation. We knew they were trying to play spoiler. If we gave them momentum we knew it wouldn’t work in our favor,” Head Coach Aaron Chantler said.

No doubt in week 10, the Trojans will be the underdogs, but playing a game with some meaning makes it all worth it.

“I feel like we have been the underdog all year moving up to 4A… We could have had a tenth game that didn’t mean anything, but we wanted to come out here and have a game that meant something,” said junior wide receiver Lucas Whitehall-Gilkes.

The Trojans were thrown behind the eight-ball from the first play of the game. Auburn Riverside standout linebacker Jonathan Epperson forced a fumble and Emediong Ukpe picked up the ball and ran all the way into the endzone. But a missed extra point might have foreshadowed a point that the Ravens needed down the stretch.

On the next Auburn possession, the Trojans marched down the field, seemingly forgetting about the past fumble, and RJ Conlan recorded his first rushing touchdown of the night and converted the two points for an 8-6 lead.

It appeared the two sides were headed for a shootout. When Auburn Riverside Head Coach Greg Herd’s offense stepped on the field, they answered the Trojans score with a touchdown of their own. It took just three plays and Andrew Wold scrambled 25 yards into the endzone to regain the advantage.

Auburn Riverside scored a third touchdown in the opening quarter with Wold finding Alex Park on a five yard pitch and catch. The Ravens looked to take a huge advantage for the entirety of the game — last year’s game was a blowout, 41-14, and it looked like this game was heading that direction.

“Last year we lost this game with some of our favorite seniors. We have new seniors this year and it was great to win it with them this year,” Whitehall-Gilkes said.

The Trojans’ offense had two turnovers early and was stopped inside the red zone twice, turning the ball over on downs in the first half.

“We said we have to come out and execute. We cannot give them momentum and take the game to them… To come out in the second half and just keep fighting and fighting, we never wavered,” Chantler said.

But the Trojans totally changed the momentum coming out of halftime. Quarterback Baylen Erdmann went the length of the field with the offense using Lucas Whitehall-Gilkes as a cheat code. The two broke records in the 61-14 win over Mount Rainier the week prior.

The two Trojans spent a lot of time together in the offseason and that boosted their chemistry both on and off the field.

“The chemistry is there. When he throws me the ball, even if it’s far, I know I can get it because he’s putting it in a place where he knows I can catch it,” Whitehall-Gilkes said.

Conlan got the touchdown, but Auburn got right back in the game with 4:44 left in the third quarter, trailing 20-14.

The theme of the second half was the Trojans’ defense making an adjustment at halftime and putting a stranglehold on the Ravens’ offense. After a 20-point first quarter, the Ravens were shutout for the rest of the ball game.

“We flipped gears second half defensively and got some key stops,” Chantler said.

With under two minutes remaining, Erdmann fed his guy Whitehall-Gilkes on the final drive. He had been just blowing by the man coverage defender on the drive, but for the touchdown, the Trojans ran a jet sweep, and Whitehall-Gilkes found the endzone.

“Everybody knows when we need a play, we are going to him,” Chantler said.

Whitehall-Gilkes had been the guy all game. But scoring a game-tying touchdown in a rivalry game with the season on the line is special in its own right: “It’s the greatest feeling knowing that you are going to be a part of it,” Whitehall-Gilkes said.

Auburn had tied the game 20-20, and a team that constantly goes for two point conversions sent their kicker out there — Alejandra Banegas — who needed to come through in the clutch.

“We never kick. You look at the board and you’re debating if you go for it and don’t get it and you’re kicking yourself…Tip your hat to him, the game dictated the call and that was the call in the moment and he executed,” Chantler said.

He drilled the kick and now the pressure shifted to the Trojan defense. Auburn Riverside got to a first and goal to go situation from the five yard line. From there, Lijah Petelo took over. He had two tackles for a loss and the Ravens were forced backwards.

The Ravens then sent out their kicker to attempt the 25-yard kick. but the kick was pulled left. and the Trojans had completed the comeback.

Auburn is now tasked with the Sumner Spartans, a team that has been a top-five team in the state all season.

“We know the odds are going to be stacked against us and a low seed. But to get the opportunity to go and compete and see what happens, you don’t trade it. Do I want to play a meaningless week 10 game or go to the playoffs? Let’s go to the playoffs,” Chantler said.