AURORA | All 11 Aurora area programs were in action in Week 1 of the 2025 prep football season and finished with a combined record of 4-7 in games played Aug. 28-29.
Aurora Central, Eaglecrest, Smoky Hill and Vista PEAK Prep all got into the win column for the first time, while the remainder of city programs (including Week Zero winner Grandview) will look to bounce back from defeats in Week 2.
Vista PEAK Prep picked up the first win of the season in its second try, as the Bison delivered the initial victory for new coach Kyle Reese with a 48-21 defeat of Denver East Aug. 28 at All-City Stadium. Delayed by lightning and rain like the majority of the other contests on the night, the Bison held a 12-6 advantage at halftime before an offensive explosion in the final half that saw the teams combine for 50 points.
Senior quarterback Canaan Barthlow threw four touchdown passes on the evening for Vista PEAK Prep and found seniors Joshua Gallien, Ethan Ruf and Isaiah Watson plus junior Jazz Jackson for touchdowns, while the Bison also had a combined 180 yards rushing. Junior Derion Breaux got free for two touchdowns on the ground, while senior Tyrone Smiley also scored.
On the same night, Aurora Central’s contest with Adams City got delayed by an hour and a half due to lightning and after a full rainbow spanned across the stadium, coach Chris Kelly’s Trojans came out and set a tone for the new season with a 26-14 victory.
Junior La’Darious Willingham led the way for Aurora Central with two touchdowns as he took back an interception for a score and also caught one of two touchdown passes from junior quarterback Markell Perkins. Perkins also connected with junior Tayvion Simmons-Adams, while senior Felix Morales also got into the end zone on the ground.
Leading the way on the Aug. 29 slate were big wins from both Smoky Hill and Eaglecrest.
Coach Brandon Alconcel’s Buffaloes hadn’t experienced victory for the entire 2024 campaign, but started the new season on a high note with a 56-0 victory against rival Overland at Stutler Bowl to secure the Wagon Wheel traveling trophy.
Buoyed by an offensive line that asserted itself from the opening possession, Smoky Hill finished with six rushing touchdowns, which included two apiece for senior Michael Amohfrimpong and junior Shaun Lanre-Ahmed, while Joseph Cooks and Markus Greene also got into the end zone on the ground. Additionally, senior Jayden Hopkins threw a touchdown pass to senior Eduardo Rodarte, while junior Marcel Santiago gave the Buffaloes a defensive touchdown as well with an interception return score.
Coach Jesse German’s Eaglecrest team hit on all cylinders offensively with sophomore William Brinkman taking over as the starting quarterback. Brinkman accounted for four touchdowns with two touchdown passes as well as two rushing scores, while sophomore Clyde Surrell IV got into the end zone three times (two via rush and another with a reception). Junior JayAnthony Green had touchdowns through the air and on the ground, while senior Sterling Dufour also rushed for a score.
In its first game under new coach Chris Lopez, Rangeview got its lone touchdown on a burst from electric senior running back Kylen Mack.
Grandview came off a win over Vista PEAK Prep in Week Zero and gave itself a chance to knock off Legend — ranked No. 3 in the Colorado High School Activities Association’s 5A preseason coaches poll — as it took a one-point lead in the fourth quarter Aug. 29 at EchoPark Stadium on a field goal by senior Noah Galvez.
An interception by junior Jaxson Flores gave coach Tom Doherty’s Wolves a chance to add to the lead, but the Titans intercepted senior quarterback Blitz McCarty and then went down the field for a go-ahead touchdown. Despite two scoring passes from McCarty to senior Asher Mattson and a strong defensive effort, Grandview fell 28-16 to move to 1-1.
A young Cherokee Trail team made a visit to Pine Creek Aug. 28 and fell 35-21 to a team that had played previously in Week Zero. Coach Justin Jajczyk’s Cougars saw sophomore Bryson Peterson debut at quarterback and throw for 278 yards and touchdown passes to junior Cristian Mbamarah and sophomore Evan Smith, while senior Logan Posey rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown.
Regis Jesuit turned around from a Week Zero loss to Cherry Creek with another heavyweight matchup against rival Valor Christian Aug. 29 at Lou Kellogg Stadium, where the visitors pulled away in the second quarter to defeat coach Danny Filleman’s Raiders 41-15.
Sophomore quarterback Luke Mobley had 184 yards passing and threw touchdown passes to junior Joe Pron and sophomore Colt Jones, while Regis Jesuit was held without positive net yardage in the rushing game. Defensively, junior Logan Singer added two interceptions to a 13-tackle effort, while sophomore Dahntay Kouahi also had an interception.
Gateway welcomed Highlands Ranch to APS Stadium Aug. 29 and coach Rashad Mason’s team fell 33-14 to open the season. Junior Westin Rayburn threw for 246 yards and had a scoring strike to senior Ziah Hendrix, while junior Lyric Winn had 100 yards receiving and also rushed for a touchdown for the Olys.
Hinkley began its first season under new coach Shawn Barnett with a visit to Englewood Aug. 29, where the Thunder dropped a 63-6 contest to the Pirates.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
