Cedar Park Christian Eagles Advance To Junior Division Title Game With Big Win Over Eastside

In a great performance that showcased both grit and poise, the Cedar Park Christian Eagles shut out the Eastside Crusaders 21-0 in the North Sound Junior Football League semifinal matchup. The victory sends the No. 2 seed Eagles, now 8-1 on the season, to the championship game, where they will look to cap off their impressive campaign.

The Eagles leaned on their powerful ground game, a disciplined defense, and efficient execution on both sides of the ball to take control early and never let up. Despite an early scare in the first quarter, Cedar Park rebounded quickly and steadily imposed their will on the fifth-seeded Crusaders, who finished their season at 6-3.

Eastside appeared poised to strike first after a pair of big plays from running back Jett McCleod and Ajani Dickerson moved the Crusaders to the Eagles’ 1-yard line. But Cedar Park’s defense stood tall in the red zone. Back-to-back stops, including a crucial tackle for loss by Dodger Sherwood, forced a turnover on downs and prevented what could have been a game-altering touchdown.

That goal-line stand became a turning point.

Isaia Samuelu, the Eagles’ dynamic running back, jump-started the offense with a 20-yard gain, and Grayson Hall added a series of productive runs to shift the field position. Although the drive stalled on their next series, it gave the Eagles the momentum they needed to start dictating the pace.

Later in the second quarter, Cruz Conniff broke off a 42-yard burst that set up Cedar Park deep in Crusader territory. On the next play, Hall finished the drive with a 19-yard touchdown scamper. After the successful extra point, the Eagles held a 7-0 lead and weren’t looking back.

The defense continued to swarm. Sherwood, Jordan Rich, and Matthew Barnes Jr. led the charge, recording key stops to prevent Eastside from crossing midfield on the following possession.

The Eagles quickly capitalized. Samuelu, who finished with 112 rushing yards, scored on a 24-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 14-0 before halftime.

Eastside’s offense, led by quarterback John King Collins IV, struggled to find rhythm against the suffocating Cedar Park secondary. The Crusaders managed just 8 passing yards and had three interceptions. Ashwin Dharmaraj and Tristan Carrasquero each had picks, with Sherwood adding another. Jazmere Lynch sealed the game with a fourth-quarter interception.

Despite the defensive dominance, Eastside refused to quit. The Crusaders mounted a third-quarter drive with short gains from McCleod and Lamebull-Ingram, but once again were stopped on fourth down near midfield.

Cedar Park’s offense took over and chewed clock with powerful inside runs. Hall, Conniff, and Samuelu shared carries to keep the chains moving and the Eastside defense guessing.

In the final quarter, the Eagles put the game out of reach. Hall plunged into the end zone from 7 yards out for his second touchdown of the game, capping a long drive and pushing the score to 21-0.

Late in the game, the Eagles nearly added another score when Dharmaraj completed a 17-yard pass to Samuelu and set up a first-and-goal. However, a red zone interception by Drake Emmett kept the score where it was.

Cedar Park’s defense forced one last turnover to close the game. After a quick three-and-out, Collins’ final pass was intercepted by Lynch, securing the shutout and setting off celebration on the Eagles’ sideline.

The win was a complete team effort, but it was the combination of physical running, red zone defense, and takeaway-hungry secondary that made the difference.

Cedar Park now turns its focus to the league championship game, riding a wave of confidence and momentum after one of their most complete performances of the year.

Player Stats

Cedar Park Christian Eagles (Offense):

Isaia Samuelu – 9 rushes, 112 yards; 2 receptions, 28 yards, 1 TD

Grayson Hall – 10 rushes, 68 yards, 2 TDs

Ashwin Dharmaraj – 3 rushes, 6 yards; 4/8 passing, 49 yards

Cruz Conniff – 4 rushes, 44 yards; 1 reception, 21 yards

Tristan Carrasquero – 3 rushes, 24 yards

Cedar Park Christian Eagles (Defense):

Dodger Sherwood – 3 tackles, 1 INT

Tristan Carrasquero – 1 tackle, 1 INT

Ashwin Dharmaraj – 2 INTs

Jazmere Lynch – 1 INT

Jordan Rich – 2 tackles

Matthew Barnes Jr. – 1 tackle

Grayson Hall – 1 tackle

Isaac Allan – 1 tackle

Thomas Norton – 1 tackle

Eastside Crusaders (Offense):

Jett McCleod – 10 rushes, 55 yards

Ajani Dickerson – 2 rushes, 17 yards

Jacoby Lamebull-Ingram – 3 rushes, 2 yards; 1 reception, 5 yards

Johnathan Mitchell – 2 rushes, 3 yards

Drake Emmett – 1 rush, 3 yards; 1 reception, 3 yards

Eastside Crusaders (Defense):

Jett McCleod – 4 tackles

Jacoby Lamebull-Ingram – 4 tackles

Johnathan Mitchell – 3 tackles

Jeffrey Cook – 2 tackles, 1 INT

Drake Emmett – 1 tackle, 1 INT

Cruz Campbell – 1 tackle

Alexander Cunningham – 1 tackle

Ajani Dickerson – 1 tackle