Having had their way in two nonleague games, Arvada West’s Wildcats would appear to announce themselves ready for what should be a demanding challenge the rest of the way in Class 5A’s Big 8 League.
The Wildcats had little trouble in rolling Montbello 48-6 on an unusually gloomy Saturday afternoon in late summer at All-City Stadium, generally doing whatever they felt like doing. In Week 1, the Wildcats whipped Central (G.J.) 31-3.
However, A-West coach Casey Coons has been around long enough to know not to get too excited.
“I hope so,” he said when asked if the ‘Cats are set to handle Big 8 rigors. “Lakewood (A-West’s next foe) looked good (Friday) night and (the Tigers) play hard. But I still don’t know. I wish I did. I think it’s just about getting better every week. If we do that, we should have a pretty good team.”
At 2-0, the Wildcats, ranked No. 7 in The Denver Post/9News 5A poll, scored the first three times they had the ball, blocked a punt for a touchdown and returned a punt for another. They added a sixth score in the final minute of the first half, and a running clock after halftime — the mercy rule is a 40-point differential — made for a quick game.
The rout was on as senior quarterback Gavin Glanz threw a 60-yard scoring pass to Justin Castor on the game’s first play.
“We’ll see,” Glanz said about the chances for this year’s ‘Cats. “Each week we have to get better and better. This is the best offensive line we’ve had since I’ve been here. So are the receivers and running backs.”
A-West totaled a modest 220 yards. Mostly, the ‘Cats had short fields and did not punt.
As for Montbello (0-2), the overwhelmed Warriors head into the Central Metro next weekend against longtime rival Thomas Jefferson.
Patience will be required — Denver big-school district teams won only twice through two weeks — but second-year Warriors coach Ryan Taylor remains upbeat.
“It’s coming along,” he said. “We’re really young, and we’ve been short up front, so we’re trying to get guys to know their jobs and do the best they can.
“We’ve got some positive things going that we can see as coaches, but a few things to fight, which are getting kids in the weight room, having fewer injuries and getting our kids to commit not only to football, but to class.”
Arvada West 21 21 6 0 — 48Montbello0 0 0 6 — 6AW — Castor 60 pass from Glanz (Castor kick). AW — Marquez 0 blocked punt (Castor kick). AW — Boachie 2 run (Castor kick). AW — Fairbairn 6 run (Castor kick). AW — Turner 78 punt return (Castor kick). AW — Fairbairn 35 pass from Glanz (Castor kick). AW — Beiermann 2 run (kick failed). MB — Taylor 13 pass from Butler (run failed).
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
