First Downs to Touchdowns

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Kendra Upton, Journalist

Some say that the first time competing is the most important memory a person will ever have of their sport. Victory, failure; whatever the result of that first time going up against another team, it may drive the athlete to give up or push forward to grow as a player.

For Braden Pearson, 10, that moment came from his first varsity football touchdown.

Cheyenne East High School varsity football players set the score high for their homecoming game against Laramie High School on September 15. They brought the final score to an impressive 63-7 for the T-Birds, as well as cultivating new experiences for underclassmen on the team.

“We did pretty good, and the sophomores got to go in and play a little bit,” commented Pearson. “I thought that was a good way to get used to the atmosphere of big games and big crowds.”

New experience can lead to big wins and exciting memories, just like Pearson’s first varsity touchdown.

“I was a bit nervous on the sideline, because it was just a matter of time of when I was going to come in,” admitted Pearson. “I got really anxious and excited to play.”

Touchdowns are always exciting and important to the game. The game of football has more than just touchdowns though. East High’s head football coach Chad Goff shared his thoughts on other factors of the game. 

“You don’t get to score points if you didn’t even get the first down,” explained Groff. “We have to get first downs to work our way to touchdowns. We always tell our guys first downs then touchdowns, so it’s very important.”

First downs are the movement of the game and is how the T-Birds get their touchdowns. Pearson commented on the impact of his first varsity touchdowns and how those scores drive the team’s next play. 

“Doing a big play and then hearing the crowd go crazy- it gets you exited for the next play,” said Pearson. “It adds a little bit more excitement and gets everyone hyped.”

The first downs drive the game and are very important to the Cheyenne East Football team. These first downs pave the way for memorable touchdowns that last in the team’s thoughts for many seasons to come.