AURORA | The winning feeling the Aurora Central football team got a taste of in 2015 is just as fresh through the first two weeks of the new season.
The Trojans improved to 2-0 for a second straight season with a 23-6 victory over visiting Northglenn in a Saturday afternoon matinee at sun-splashed Aurora Public Schools Stadium.
Junior Colby Craft ripped off an 89 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for some insurance and rushed for 145 yards on the day, while senior quarterback Jalil Grimes threw for a touchdown and ran for another in Aurora Central’s victory.
Coach Jamarr Kerney’s Trojans generated four turnovers — including three in the fourth quarter when the Norse aimed to catch up — to join Eaglecrest and Grandview as the only 2-0 Aurora programs. Aurora Central plays Smoky Hill (0-2) at 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at Stutler Bowl.
Grimes got the Trojans on the board first with an 8-yard touchdown pass to senior Fransisco Aranda, then doubled the lead with a 5 yard run in the third quarter.
Johnny Mendez’s 22 yard field goal pushed Aurora Central in front 17-0 in the fourth quarter before Northglenn (1-1) mounted its only scoring drive of the game. The Norse pulled within nine points on quarterback Devin Scutter’s short rushing touchdown just over a minute into the final period.
Craft gave the Trojans an emphatic answer on the subsequent possession, as he burst through the middle of the Northglenn line and raced untouched for an 89-yard touchdown.
Northglenn got plenty of others chances, but De’Oveya Johnson and Aranda picked off Scutter and Deiven Canaday pounced on a fumble in the final minute to thwart the Norse in the red zone.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or s[email protected] Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
AURORA CENTRAL 23, NORTHGLENN 6
Score by quarters:
Northglenn 0 0 0 6 — 6
Aurora Central 0 7 10 6 — 23
SCORING
Second quarter
Aurora Central — Fransisco Aranda 8 yard pass from Jalil Grimes (Johnny Mendez kick), 4:06
Third quarter
Aurora Central — Grimes 5 yard run (Mendez kick), 8:53
Aurora Central — Mendez 22 yard field goal, 4:24
Fourth quarter
Northglenn — Devin Scutter 2 yard run (run failed), 10:54
Aurora Central — Colby Craft 89 yard run (kick failed), 9:42
