“We’re liable to have 100 points between us,” Jeremy Bennett said.
The D’Evelyn football coach has a point. When his Jaguars host John F. Kennedy’s Commanders today at 4 p.m. in The Denver Post game of the week, the No. 1 and No. 3 scoring teams in Class 3A may overheat the scoreboard at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood.
Look for all kinds of wrinkles, subplots and sideshows in the 3A Metro North matchup.
JFK, ranked No. 5 in The Denver Post’s 3A media poll, has been riding a glorious wave that it hopes will produce its first playoff appearance since 1994.
The Commanders (5-0, 2-0 league) are blessed with outstanding team speed. They have piled up a 3A-high 296 points. Quarterback Braden Miltenberger, running back Kyle Trinidad and receiver-returner Tim Vega are the leaders.
Each of JFK’s first five opponents stands 1-4, but when the program’s extended glory days reach back to the time of 1991 Denver Post Gold Helmet winner Greg Jones, it’s easy to get excited.
“It’s definitely the biggest game we’ve had in years,” Commanders coach Rich Martinez said. “It’s our first test to see where we really match up.”
No. 7 D’Evelyn (4-1, 2-0) also has a not-so-secret weapon. Regular starting quarterback Caleb Flack is due back from a concussion suffered in Week 1.
“He’ll start,” Bennett said.
Flack had been experiencing lingering headaches, but he’s been cleared to play. If it doesn’t work out, no problem — junior Cody Marvel moved over from the secondary to throw for 1,957 yards and 25 touchdowns.
He meshed immediately with a strong receiving corps, notably Matt Menard, Connor Skelton and Anthony Porreco. The Jaguars rank third in 3A scoring (217 points).
“We’ll see if (Flack) can match Marvel’s numbers,” Bennett said jokingly. “(JFK) has speed on the 3A level that you see at the 5A level. It’s scary, but a good matchup for us.”
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
High school football player to watch: Kyle Trinidad, Kennedy running back
Like most John F. Kennedy Commanders, Kyle Trinidad needs to be good at math. Gaudy numbers have dotted JFK’s blazing 5-0 start.
The 5-foot-8, 175-pounder has piled up 853 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns on the ground. He had a high of 228 yards in the opener against city rival Abraham Lincoln and has run for at least three touchdowns in every game. Trinidad stands 11th in all-classification rushing and is tops in touchdowns. Trinidad also has seven receptions for 186 yards and four touchdowns.
“We have the right talent at the right positions,” Commanders coach Rich Martinez said. “And he’s one of them. He’s a special kid.”
Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
