PUEBLO — Class 3A No. 1-ranked Vista Ridge roared back from its first deficit of the season, scoring the final 43 points to knock off upset-minded Pueblo Central 50-28 on Friday night.
The Wolves (4-0, 2-0 Southern League), who outscored their first three opponents 105-3, trailed 21-7 in the second quarter before quarterback Thomas Newman and backup running back Brandon Cartagena sparked the furious rally.
“Too many mental mistakes,” Vista Ridge interim coach Les Johnson said. “We’ve been winning all this time and the kids, every time they jump on the field, don’t need to work. We came back in at halftime and got some things squared away. The key was execution. Once they got their heads together, the execution was there.”
Wide receiver Aaron Johnson caught three touchdown passes and all of Newman’s 141 passing yards; and Cartagena, filling in for Tyree Walker, ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Cartagena also returned a punt for a touchdown.
Walker was held out for most of the game because of an ankle injury suffered last week.
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Trinidad 14, Florence 7
FLORENCE — Top-ranked Florence (4-1) couldn’t tie things up on its final possession, and Trinidad (3-2) pulled the upset.
Broomfield 36, Loveland 0
BROOMFIELD — Jose Fraire ran for three touchdowns and the Eagles, ranked No. 8 in 4A, bounced back from last week’s loss to No. 2 Monarch. Broomfield (3-1, 1-0 Northern League) built a 30-6 halftime lead to keep the Indians winless.
John F. Kennedy 62, Arvada 0
ARVADA — Kyle Trinidad ran for three touchdowns and caught a scoring pass as the Commanders, ranked eighth in 3A, rolled in their Metro North League opener. Braden Miltenberger threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers as JFK (4-0) topped 50 points for the fourth consecutive game, bringing its season points total to 232.
Mountain Vista 17, Rocky Mountain 10
FORT COLLINS — Zac Cash rushed for two touchdowns and the the Golden Eagles followed up their win over then-No. 10 Fairview by holding off a late Lobos rally. Rocky Mountain (1-3) pulled to within 17-10 midway through the fourth quarter on a 41-yard pass from Douglas Watterson to Justin Schiller and got to the Mountain Vista 9-yard line in the closing seconds.
Arapahoe 27, Overland 9
LITTLETON — Alec Geiser threw for 193 yards and three touchdowns as the Warriors improved to 4-0 against the winless Trailblazers. Geiser had nine touchdown passes in the last three games. Jose Concanon ran for 58 yards and a score for Arapahoe.
Cherokee Trail 17, Legacy 0
AURORA — The unranked Cougars (2-2), No. 4 in the preseason, snapped a two-game losing streak behind Thomas Singleton’s 106-yard, one-touchdown rushing performance. Legacy fell to 2-2.
Evergreen 23, Elizabeth 11.
ELIZABETH — Quinn O’Neill ran for a 74-yard touchdown and Noah Ansley and Trent Tosetti also scored as the unbeaten and unranked Cougars handed the defending 3A champions their fourth consecutive loss in the teams’ Metro South League opener.
Top performers from Friday
• Kennedy’s Kyle Trinidad had 227 yards and three scores on the ground, and added another receiving touchdown in his team’s 62-0 win over Arvada.
• Holy Family’s Connor Clay rushed for more than 280 yards, and also recovered a key onside kick to help his team beat Centaurus, 27-12.
How the Top-10 fared
Class 5A
1. Grand Junction beat Westminster 50-14
2. Grandview at Fort Collins, today, 11 a.m.
3. Pomona lost to 4A (1) Valor Chr. 38-0 (Thursday)
4. Mullen beat Cherry Creek 42-13
5. Columbine beat Poudre 49-7 (Thursday)
6. Ralston Valley beat Chatfield 35-0
7. Chaparral beat Doherty 63-0
8. Regis Jesuit at Fruita Monument, today, 1 p.m.
9. Bear Creek beat Eaglecrest 21-13
10. H. Ranch beat 4A (9) Ponderosa 47-26 (Thursday)
Class 4A
1. Valor Chr. beat 5A (3) Pomona 38-0 (Thursday)
2. Monarch beat Prairie View 34-0
3. Longmont beat Greeley Central 49-0 (Thursday)
4. Pine Creek vs. Ftn.-Ft. Carson, today, 7 p.m.
5. Castle View beat Palmer 44-7 (Thursday)
6. Montrose beat Pueblo West 22-21
7. Greeley West at Niwot, today, 7 p.m.
8. Broomfield beat Loveland 36-6
9. Ponderosa lost to 5A (10) H. Ranch 47-26 (Thur.)
10. Wheat Ridge beat Brighton 39-0
Class 3A
1. Vista Ridge beat Pueblo Central 50-28
2. Palisade beat Glenwood Springs 31-21
3. Cañon City beat Disc. Canyon 42-10 (Thursday)
4. Windsor beat Mountain View 21-0 (Thursday)
5. Silver Creek beat Sterling 50-7
6. D’Evelyn beat Denver North 42-0
7. Roosevelt beat Fort Morgan 42-14
8. John F. Kennedy beat Arvada 62-0
9. Holy Family beat Centaurus 27-12
10. Rifle beat Battle Mountain 22-21
Class 2A
1. Florence lost to Trinidad 14-7
2. Brush beat University 35-6
3. Bayfield beat Centauri 39-6
4. Kent Denver beat (5) Faith Christian 23-13
5. Faith Christian lost to (4) Kent Denver 23-13
6. Pagosa Springs beat Alamosa 41-7
7. Aspen beat Gunnison 35-22
8. Olathe beat Basalt 17-12
9. Eaton beat Estes Park 55-13
10. La Junta lost to St. Mary’s 30-21
Class 1A
1. Burlington beat Yuma 47-14
2. Hotchkiss beat Sargent 46-12
3. Lutheran vs. Cripple Creek-Victor, today, 1 p.m.
4. Akron lost to (5) Limon 22-0
5. Limon beat (4) Akron 22-0
6. Resurrection Christian vs. Holyoke, today, noon
7. Lyons beat Highland 54-0
8. Wiggins at Ridge View Academy, today, 1 p.m.
9. Byers at Calhan, today, 2 p.m.
10. Wray beat St. Francis, Kan. 47-8
Class A 8-Man
1. Hoehne beat (6) Fowler 32-6
2. Dayspring Christian beat (7) Merino 35-14
3. Norwood beat Nucla 51-6
4. Caliche beat Sedgwick County 41-8
5. Springfield beat McClave 44-2
Class A 6-Man
1. Fleming at Weldon Valley, today, 3:30 p.m.
2. Otis lost to (3) Deer Trail 51-40
3. Deer Trail beat (2) Otis 51-40
4. Hi-Plains vs. Bethune, today, 1 p.m.
5. Cotopaxi beat Arickaree 52-14
