Arvada – Sean McDougal was just happy to be playing Saturday afternoon.
Grandview probably wished he hadn’t.
The senior quarterback, who missed Arvada West’s opener for violating team rules, threw four touchdowns passes and led the Wildcats to a 44-36 victory over the Wolves in a Class 5A nonleague shootout at the North Area Athletic Complex.
McDougal spread 19 completions – for 292 yards – among seven receivers. He also converted five extra-point attempts and kicked a 44-yard field goal.
McDougal said it was great “just to get out with my team and be with them instead of just sitting on the sidelines with jeans and my jersey on. You’re out there battling with them. It’s just fun.”
Trevor Zott led the Wildcats, ranked No. 5 in The Denver Post/9News 5A football poll, with eight catches for 149 yards.
Arvada West (1-1) appeared to blow the game open in the third quarter and led 37-13 on McDougal’s 5-yard touchdown pass to lineman Dillon Haugum.
But the Wolves (1-1) clawed back with help from junior quarterback Jared Schlehuber, who completed 12 passes to match McDougal’s 292 yards.
Schlehuber threw two touchdown passes to tight end Sam Sewell and ran for another touchdown to fuel Grandview’s 23- point fourth quarter. Curtis McNary thought he had recovered an onside kick with three minutes remaining, but the Wildcats got the ball and were able to burn off the remaining time.
“We just kept trying,” Schle- huber said. “We were never going to say die.”
Sewell caught five passes for 143 yards and speedy receiver Anthony Carter had four catches for 91 yards. The Wolves had moderate success on the ground with Ben Miller (93 yards rushing) and Lucius Haley (36).
Haley’s 3-yard touchdown run with eight minutes remaining sparked Grandview’s rally, although the Wildcats answered with one play – a screen pass to Ryan Hill that went for a 67-yard touchdown.
Each defense forced one interception, but only the Wildcats were able to convert it into points.
A-West running back L.D. Briscoe completed an offensive trifecta by scoring three consecutive touchdowns on a running play, an 81-yard kickoff return and a 24-yard screen pass.
“I just busted it to the left, and I did everything I could to take it to the house,” Briscoe said of his second career kickoff return.
Grandview’s various stunts, blitzes and zone blocking held Briscoe to 47 yards rushing.
“I thought we’d be able to run the ball a little bit better, personally,” said Wildcats coach Casey Coons, “but with the way they were defending, it was pretty tough sledding.”
Grandview 7 6 0 23 – 36
Arvada West 7 16 14 7 – 44
AW – Ullrich 7 pass from McDougal (McDougal kick). G – Sewell 19 pass from Schlehuber (Veryser kick). AW – FG McDougal 44. AW – Briscoe 3 run (McDougal kick). G – Miller 10 run (kick blocked). AW – Briscoe 81 kickoff return (pass failed). AW – Briscoe 24 pass from McDougal (McDougal kick). AW – Haugum 5 pass from McDougal (McDougal kick). G – Haley 3 run (Sewell pass from Schlehuber). AW – Hill 67 pass from McDougal (McDougal kick). G – Schlehuber 15 run (Miller pass from Schlehuber). G – Sewell 19 pass from Schlehuber (Veryser kick).
