AURORA | Things were immediately different as the Taylor Calvert era began at Aurora Central.
Senior running back Jeffrey Tootle ran roughshod against the Vista PEAK defense Friday evening at Aurora Public Schools Stadium, as he picked up 273 yards and scored six touchdowns in a 54-26 victory in Calvert’s debut as head coach.
It was the Trojans’ first season-opening victory since 2007 and already gave them as many wins as they had all of last season.
Aurora Central blew open a two-point game at halftime against the feisty Bison — who were playing their second-ever varsity contest after a Zero Week victory over Hinkley — as Tootle scored three straight touchdowns in the third quarter and added another in the fourth. Tootle added 41 yards receiving to finish with 314 yards of total offense and had touchdown runs of 39, 36, 34, 32, 25 and 13 yards.
The Trojans’ other offensive touchdown came on a 24-yard pass from senior quarterback Manny Fernandez to senior wide receiver John Ndekezi and sophomore defensive back Devonte Phillips accounted for the team’s eighth touchdown with a 96-yard interception return early in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore Isaiah Young had 118 yards receiving and caught two touchdown passes, sophomore Noah Butler threw for one and ran for one and junior D.J. Ortiz got into the end zone as well for Vista PEAK, which dropped to 1-1.
Coach Pat Rock’s Bison — who were down 14-12 at halftime before allowing 28 unanswered points to open the second half — also got two touchdown passes from junior quarterback Adam Puehler.
Aurora Central aims for 2-0 when it goes against Abraham Lincoln at 7 p.m. Sept. 7 at Denver’s All-City Stadium, while Vista PEAK has a noon contest against Faith Christian on Sept. 8 at APS Stadium.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
AURORA CENTRAL 54, VISTA PEAK 26
Score by quarters:
Vista PEAK 0 12 0 4 — 26
Aurora Central 7 7 21 19 — 54
SCORING
First quarter
Aurora Central — Jeffrey Tootle 39 yard run (Irvin Borjas Ruiz kick), 5:35
Second quarter
Vista PEAK — D.J. Ortiz 7 yard pass from Adam Puehler (pass failed), 2:47
Aurora Central — Tootle 34 yard run (Ruiz kick), 2:10
Vista PEAK — Isaiah Young 6 yard pass from Puehler (pass failed), 0:49
Third quarter
Aurora Central — Tootle 36 yard run (Ruiz kick), 10:51
Aurora Central — Tootle 13 yard run (Ruiz kick), 3:46
Aurora Central — Tootle 32 yard run (Ruiz kick), 1:13
Fourth quarter
Aurora Central — Devonte Phillips 96 yard interception return (Ruiz kick), 11:12
Vista PEAK — Young 29 yard pass from Noah Butler (Butler run), 8:54
Aurora Central — John Ndekezi 24 yard pass from Manny Fernandez (kick failed), 6:30
Aurora Central — Tootle 25 yard run (kick failed), 4:51
Vista PEAK — Butler 2 yard run (run failed), 1:14
RUSHING
Vista PEAK: Noah Butler 15-37, Adam Puehler 7-29, Kyree Herron 8-27, Malcolm Gordon 2-24, Noah Jones 4-23, Ayo Sanusi 4-18, Isaiah Young 3-13
Aurora Central: Jeffrey Tootle 24-273, Frederick Nyamekye 1-23, Manny Fernandez 6-6, John Odell 4-0
PASSING
Vista PEAK: Butler 6-11, 111 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; Puehler 15-30, 106 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Aurora Central: Fernandez 9-19, 92 yards
RECEIVING
Vista PEAK: Young 8-118, D.J. Ortiz 7-55, Herron 4-34, Gordon 1-5, Sanusi 1-5
Aurora Central: Tootle 4-41, John Ndekezi 1-24, Nyamekye 1-13, A’Deril Agnew 1-7, Kavion Mason 1-7, Devonte Phillips 1-0
