WESTMINSTER — Watching Adonis Ameen-Moore rumble for 211 yards on just 13 carries a frosty, slick Friday night, one couldn’t help conjure up images of Jerome “The Bus” Bettis.
Ameen-Moore, Mullen High School’s muscle-clad junior, crossed the goal line three times on runs of 45, 23 and 80 yards as the top-ranked Mustangs routed Legacy 42-7 in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Mullen (11-0) advanced to the Class 5A quarterfinals. It will meet the winner of today’s second-round game between ThunderRidge and Cherry Creek. Legacy’s season ended with a 5-6 record.
“Adonis just runs hard on every single carry,” Mullen coach Dave Logan said. “He’s run that way ever since he was in the ninth grade, and I think he just gets better as the night goes on. He’s the kind of guy who tends to wear people down.”
It wasn’t just Ameen-Moore who dominated the Lightning. Mullen’s stout defense, the heart of its undefeated season, had a “Steel Curtain” feel to it. In a word, the Mustangs were smothering.
“One of our mottoes is, ‘play 48 of 48 minutes,’ ” said senior linebacker Hunter Foraker, who halted a Legacy drive with a third-quarter interception. “We try to get 11 helmets on the ball, and that’s something we work on every day in practice. It’s something we try to carry out in the game.”
The Mustangs held the Lightning to 93 total yards through the first three quarters. Legacy avoided the shutout because of Jake Levin’s nifty 65-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
Mullen took a quick 14-0 first-quarter lead on two long cruisers by Ameen-Moore. He rolled down the sidelines on his first carry for a 45-yard touchdown. On his second TD, he broke three tackles and rumbled 23 yards.
A nicely executed pass put Mullen in front 21-0 late in the second quarter. Senior quarterback Jonny Miller threw a quick sideline hitch to Rayshon Williams. A couple of key blocks, and Williams’ pure speed, resulted in a 30-yard touchdown.
With Miller banged up, backup quarterback Cyler Miles got some quality playing time and did well. The sophomore completed 5-of-6 passes for 64 yards. On one of the prettiest plays of the night, he scrambled in the pocket, set his feet and found senior tight end Ben Lahn in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass.
Sophomore Addie Brown, scooting up the middle like a lightning bug, scored the Mustangs’ final touchdown on a 25-yard run.
“We have a few things to work on, but the kids played very hard on a tough, cold night,” Logan said. “I was very happy with that. Now it’s on to the next step.”
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
