FALCON — Class 3A’s top-ranked Vista Ridge looked like it caught lightning in a bottle with its current roster. Unfortunately, actual lightning cut into Friday’s first glimpse of this year’s team.
After two pregame delays because of storms, the Wolves saw a dominant opening performance at Falcon halted for an extended halftime delay as it led Falcon 10-0 on the scoreboard and 185-5 in total yards.
The game was postponed until 9 a.m. today.
Former Vista Ridge coach Dean Huffman was fired three days before practice for reasons that remain unclear — the school’s official statement said it was a difference in philosophy.
Vista Ridge’s Tyree Walker ran for 118 yards on 12 carries, including a 3-yard touchdown. Vista Ridge kicker Noah Gabel put on a show, hitting a 47-yard field goal in the first quarter.
Falcon failed to convert a first down in the half, and one of its five consecutive three-and-outs included three straight sacks of quarterback Will Galvez. Of Falcon’s 18 first-half plays, 11 went for zero or negative yardage.
Mullen 27, Chaparral 0
Three-time 5A champion Mullen extended its winning streak to 34 games by shutting out No. 5 Chaparral. Mullen quarterback Cyler Miles threw three TD passes. Running back Addie Brown scored the Mustangs’ first TD on a 60-yard run in the first quarter.
Valor Christian 20, Regis Jesuit 16
AURORA — Valor Christian, ranked No. 1 in 4A, rallied to topple 5A’s No. 2, Regis Jesuit, with the winning drive in the final minutes in a game that was delayed for close to two hours by lightning.
The Eagles’ defense made one final stand with just over a minute to play to preserve the 20-16 win.
Valor had jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but Regis chipped away, and looked as if it as going to tie things up just before halftime. But the extra point missed, and Valor took a 14-13 lead into the break.
Things stayed that way until Regis Jesuit’s Connor Dunn hit a 33-yard field goal halfway into the fourth quarter.
But Valor answered. Christian McCaffrey had a good return on the kickoff to set the Eagles up at their own 42 yard-line, and they would need only five plays to drive the remaining 58 yards, capped by Cody Thibault’s 20-yard loft of a scoring pass to Preston Knight.
Jordan Jungers had both scores for Regis Jesuit on the ground. He finished with 112 yards.
Valor Christian (2-0) beat then-No. 3 Grandview, also a 5A team, last week.
Longmont 47, Skyline 15
LONGMONT — The Trojans, playing their second game in five days in the middle of a three-game stretch in 13 days, got four touchdowns from D.J. Fowler. Fowler rushed for 67 yards and three touchdowns and caught a scoring pass for 4A’s fourth-ranked team, which beat 5A Arvada West 43-7 on Monday. Forrest Wetterstrom added 79 yards rushing for Longmont.
Cherokee Trail 28, Fruita Monument 19
AURORA — Trailing 19-7 at halftime, the third-ranked Cougars erupted for three third-quarter touchdowns to hand the Wildcats their second straight loss. Thomas Singleton rushed for 185 yards and a touchdown and passed for 109 and a score, Nathan Schneider had a rushing and receiving touchdown and Alex Hatch capped the third quarter with a 77-yard scoring burst for Cherokee Trail, a 5A semifinalist last year.
Highlights
• Marcus Lenox of Fort Lupton returned an interception for 105 yards for what proved to be the winning score as the Blue Devils beat Arvada 14-0.
• Weldon Valley whipped Idalia 53-14, snapping the two-time defending 6-man champion Wolves’ 23-game winning streak.
• Defending 3A champion Elizabeth fell to 0-2 with a 27-7 loss to Erie. The Cardinals lost 20-12 to Florence, ranked No. 1 in 2A, last week.
Other delays
Weather was the big winner Friday night as games up and down the Front Range were delayed and postponed because of rain and lightning. Gateway’s game at Rampart was postponed to noon today with Rampart leading 20-7. Woodland Park vs. Lewis-Palmer was rescheduled for 11 a.m. today. Other games went well into the night and pushed finishing near midnight.
