Through three weeks of the prep football season, only Eaglecrest has made it through unscathed and it took a clutch late performance for that to happen as well.
The Raptors fell behind in the fourth quarter of their Sept. 8 matchup with Highlands Ranch at Legacy Stadium, but Peyton Taylor made sure the deficit didn’t last for long. The electric senior took back a kickoff for a 78-yard touchdown and it stood up as Eaglecrest topped the Falcons 18-15 to get to 3-0.
Jacob Schmitt threw a touchdown pass to Logan Ryan and Diego Cearns rushed for 112 yards and a score for Eaglecrest in the win.
Grandview is now 2-1 with a 33-21 defeat in a showdown with Ralston Valley Sept. 9 at Legacy Stadium.
The Wolves took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter and had their chances even after falling behind, but the Mustangs scored a touchdown on a fourth-down play inside the final minute to seal the result. Liam Szarka threw touchdown passes to Xay Neto and Simon Kibbee and ran for one as well for Grandview.
Rangeview had allowed a combined 25 points to its first two opponents, but ceded 21 alone in the second quarter of a 35-12 road loss at Douglas County to put it at 2-1.
Armani Patterson and Kevin Prosser III rushed for touchdowns for the Raiders, who trailed 21-0 at one point in the second quarter.
Regis Jesuit improved to 2-1 with a 23-10 victory over Arapahoe in a matchup of teams ranked in 5A’s top 10. Exander Carroll (who ran for a score) threw a touchdown pass to Andrew Metzger in the third quarter that essentially put the game away, though the Warriors returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.
D’Andre Barnes had two interceptions, including one he took back for a touchdown and Pierce Martin added a 42-yard field goal for the Raiders.
Also 2-1 after a Week 3 win is Aurora Central, which prevailed 19-14 on the road at Falcon in a game delayed significantly by lightning. The Trojans have outscored their last two opponents 74-14.
Getting into the win column for the first time was Smoky Hill, which topped rival Overland 42-12 Sept. 8 at Stutler Bowl in a game that earned them custody of the Wagon Wheel traveling trophy as well.
Quarterback Ty Bowers rushed for four touchdowns, while John Bass III went over 100 yards rushing with a score and Kaiden McElhiney also got into the end zone for the Buffaloes, who held off an Overland team that got touchdowns from Komari Owens and Jarrius Ward.
Cherokee Trail got a late touchdown pass from Eliot Ming to Noah Greer, but still ended up with a loss as it fell to Columbine 35-7 Sept. 8 in a matinee at Jeffco Stadium. The Cougars are 1-2, as is Vista PEAK, which opened its Sept. 9 contest vs. Broomfield at APS Stadium in style with a Marcel Evans kickoff return touchdown before falling 55-6.
Hinkley is 0-3 after a 53-0 loss to Adams City Sept. 9 at Aurora Public Schools Stadium, while Gateway has the same record following a 56-13 defeat to the Far Northeast Warriors Sept. 10 on the Evie Dennis campus.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports