LAKEWOOD — Pomona coach Jay Madden, active in Colorado schoolboy football for decades and in various capacities, probably hates 4 p.m. kickoffs as much as anyone.
His team had one Thursday against Bear Creek.
“It’s the dumbest thing,” Madden said. “I’m getting kind of old, so maybe it’s not so bad for me. (But) it’s not good for families, it’s not good for students, it’s not good for high-school football.”
However, he added, “it is what it is and I just do what they tell me.”
Ultimately, and in front of a light crowd, his Panthers were able to overcome a sluggish start that moved about as slowly as the traffic on nearby Kipling Street to roll over the Bears 41-14 in the Class 5A Jefferson County League.
Ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press 5A media poll, Pomona won its fifth consecutive game since dropping its opener to two-time defending 5A champion Valor Christian and kept pace with overall undefeated Ralston Valley at 4-0 in league.
Despite early punts and two fumbles at sunny Jeffco Stadium, the Panthers put it in gear. Diminutive rusher Isaac Marquez scored three touchdowns. Quarterback Justin Roberts, who mixed quick outs, dump-offs and throws for catch-and-runs, passed for two scores and added one rushing (he pulled a high snap out of the air and ran it in from the 1-yard line). And freshman Max Borghi scored his first two touchdowns.
“We were just able to get rolling,” said Marquez, who has now rushed and caught passes for 11 touchdowns.
Defensively, Madden said his group has given up “a lot of yards,” but not that many points (93). He’d also like to lose the higher yardage total, but he’s not complaining.
As for Bear Creek, it got within 14-7 in the second quarter on a 15-yard run by athletic Olabisi Johnson. But the Bears (4-2, 2-2) eventually were worn down, didn’t respond and failed to resemble the team that was coming off winning two of three shootouts in spirited fashion, including in overtime.
“Yeah, one of those days and we’ve been flirting with some of this,” coach Zach Morris said. “We just had a lot of mental errors. We just didn’t play well.”
Pomona next is staring at a three-team gauntlet in Jeffco — next week against regular nemesis Columbine, followed by a showdown with Ralston Valley, then a finale against Chatfield.
“If you looked at the schedule, that’s probably who the favorites were to win this league,” Madden said.
Neil H. Devlin: ndevlin@denverpost.com or
Pomona 7 14 7 13 — 41
Bear Creek 0 7 0 7 — 14
P — Borghi 8 run (Borghi kick). P — Marquez 1 run (Borghi kick). BC — Johnson 15 run (Asgari kick kick) P — Marquez 18 pass from Roberts (Borghi kick). P — Marquez 20 pass from Roberts (Borghi kick). P — Roberts 1 run (kick failed). P — Borghi 66 run (Borghi kick). BC — M. Dalton 36 pass from Bridgett (Asgari kick).
