ERIE — Alex Ortega would make a great product on late-night television.
The Erie senior slices, dices, cleans up well and is virtually indestructible.
The all-state running back rushed for five touchdowns and scored another on an interception return to start the game Friday, as the top-ranked Erie Tigers mauled the Eaton Fighting Reds 60-27 in a Class 2A nonleague matchup between traditional powers.
“Maybe sophomore year,” Ortega said of the last time he deep-sixed an opponent. “This is a good team to get six touchdowns against. I think I’ve got six touchdowns against smaller teams, but it feels good to get that many against this team because they’re always good.”
Ortega, who also completed a pass for 16 yards, scored on runs of 66, 5, 33, 56 and 1 yards. His second rushing touchdown came with eight seconds left in the first half to put the Tigers in control at 34-14.
Playing defense for the first time in high school, he took Eaton’s first pass 43 yards the other way to set the tone.
“It’s definitely new to me,” he said. “It’s cool to play defense. I get opportunities like that.”
The Tigers, who lost in overtime to Olathe in last year’s state championship game, improved to 3-0. The Fighting Reds slumped to 0-3.
The Tigers’ offense started like a boxer by tenderizing the middle of Eaton’s defense. Junior fullback Billy Ilko rattled off several pulverizing dives to open the floodgates. Ilko hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kallston Ortega and ran for another, finishing with 97 yards rushing. Ilko also grabbed an interception.
The Fighting Reds did their name justice early on. Quarterback Tony Ball, who threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another, found Tyler Smith for a 10-yard completion to tie the score at 7.
But the Tigers answered and the Fighting Reds suddenly found themselves wearing snow boots in a track meet. The visitors trailed 47-14 in the third quarter, but cut the deficit to 47-27 with two quick touchdown passes to Darin Foss and Caleb Selby early in the fourth quarter.
“I’m really proud of how we played,” Ball said. “That’s the No. 1 team in the state, and they come out and pop you right in the face from the get-go. I think our offense responded good. We’ve seen that kind of offense two weeks in a row with Platte Canyon and Erie; I’m glad we don’t have to see it again.”
