AURORA — Pass the Advil. The Olympians are hurting.
Gateway painfully lost the Anvil Trophy on Friday night, bowing big to rival Rangeview 41-0 at Aurora Public Schools Stadium.
In the second year of the Anvil Trophy, which represents the rivalry between the schools separated by just 4 miles, Rangeview junior Jonathan Mathews ran wild and the Raiders dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
Mathews, a talented junior tailback who amassed 173 yards in last week’s season-opening 20-0 loss at Class 4A No. 1 Greeley West, punished the Gateway defense with 216 yards rushing, including 152 in the first half. He took his 20th and final handoff late in the third quarter.
“We came out big,” said Mathews, who missed last year with a torn hamstring. “We deserve it.”
Rangeview scored on three of its first five possessions, with the other two ending in a turnover and the end of the first half. The visiting Raiders outgained Gateway 305-36 to take a 28-0 lead into the break.
Mathews opened the third quarter with a 53-yard scoring run, his third score of the game, and quarterback Jaleel Awini added a 60-yard TD.
Rangeview coach Dave Gonzales said Mathews came into the season “on a mission.”
“He has trained harder than anybody I’ve seen in the offseason,” Gonzales said. “I knew once he became focused he was going to be the type of kid we saw out here.”
Gateway (0-2) has yet to score this season and had points erased early against its rival. David Anderson’s game-opening 95-yard kickoff return for TD was negated by a penalty.
“I’m sure it was a hold, but it sort of set the tone for us,” Olys coach Justin Hoffman said. “Honestly, I don’t think our boys recovered from it.”
Trailing 12-0, Gateway’s best chance to put points on the board came after a Rangeview turnover late in the first quarter. Mathews couldn’t handle a pitch at his own 38, and it was picked up in stride by LaDaris Mungin, who took it to the Raiders’ 6-yard line.
The Olys couldn’t capitalize. On fourth down inside the 5, 265-pound defensive lineman Tyler Green sacked quarterback Tamir Campbell at the 11.
Rangeview went 89 yards the other way, capped by Mathews’ 10-yard run, and his two-point conversion put the Raiders in control 20-0.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
