Fairview superstar Toray Davis kept his school’s homecoming night intact Friday — despite Monarch quarterback Nico Rizzello’s best attempt to turn it into his own homecoming party.
The Fairview transfer returned to Christian Recht Field in Week 4 and put together his best performance yet with the Coyotes, tallying two passing TDs and one more on the ground.
Of course, on this night — Fairview Homecoming — it wasn’t nearly enough. Davis scored eight times and had two interceptions in the Knights’ 62-41 win.
Nobody in the Class 5A has ever combined to have more rushing and receiving TDs in a game, per CHSAA’s state records.
“When I got to eight, I was going for 10,” Davis grinned afterward. “I didn’t get the chance to go back on offense, but it was all good.”
Davis’ fourth TD of the night came late in the opening half, just a few plays after he picked off his former teammate.
Rizzello then answered with his own scoring drive. As the QB raced to get just inside the pylon after a long run, he was leveled by Davis — and it looked like it hurt.
But Rizzello didn’t let on. He jumped to his feet, pressed his facemask into Davis’, and hollered. Davis could only smile as Rizzello trotted back to his sideline.
“I had to get back up,” Rizzello said. “I wasn’t going to take that. Itap kind of like playing against your brother. You got to respond.”
“We both love competing,” Davis added. “It was just getting into each other’s faces, talking a little trash. But itap all love.”
By Saturday, Davis could be 5A’s TD leader this. He was tied for fifth in the class with seven coming into the week — four receiving and three on the ground.
He now has five receiving TDs and 10 rushing.
When asked if he feels like he’s the best football player in Colorado right now, Davis confirmed.
“I’m the best athlete in the state,” he said.
The win moved the Knights to 3-1, with their other two wins coming against Legacy and Boulder. Their one loss came to Arvada West, 34-33, in Week 2.
Monarch (3-2), meanwhile, took its second loss of the season. But truth be told, the Coyotes have looked strong so far this season.
Though the 4A program blew out Poudre, Longmont and then-undefeated Centaurus, their losses may be more intriguing.
In Week 2, they hung around with 4A defending champ Broomfield in a 28-17 loss.
And Friday against the Knights — a 5A semifinalist they’d lost 49-0 to a year ago — they stayed competitive, too.
Down 34-13, Rizzello’s second TD connection of the game with Tyler Tharp came with 25 seconds left in the first half, trimming the lead 14. Then early in the fourth, Abbott Lockwood’s score brought the Coyotes within 41-34.
Unfortunately for them, Davis ran for three more scores after that.
“I was really proud of our resilience,” Monarch coach Jeff Santee said. “There were so many opportunities for us not to answer and be like, ‘Oh God, they just scored again.’ But we kept battling back.”
Monarch is home against Boulder in Week 5. Fairview is on the road at Smoky Hill.
