Prep football follow: Cripple Creek-Victor wins first game since 2011

 

Cripple Creek-Victor wins first game since 2011

It was only week two of the high school football season, but Cripple Creek-Victor celebrated a blowout victory in tears and hugs.

That's what happens when you snap a 35-game losing streak.

Senior running back Conner Brown rushed for five touchdowns as the Pioneers (1-1) beat Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (0-2) 65-31 on Friday.

Cripple Creek-Victor's last win had come by forfeit Oct. 21, 2011. Before that, the Pioneers beat Ellicott 20-6 on Oct. 30, 2010.

"It's all about these kids," Cripple Creek-Victor coach Mark Sampson said. "I pulled the seniors aside after the game and told them they can leave high school with their heads held high."

The win came on the heels of the team's 28-25 loss to Hanover last week. In that game, the Pioneers led 25-20 in the final minutes, but couldn't close.

"We kind of found ways not to win like a team that hasn't won in a long time does," Sampson said.

Cripple-Creek Victor's 65 points were the most scored by the program in at least more than a decade.

Canon City's Nethercot throws fifth TD at end to win

On the final play, Dacian Sullivan ran past the defense and Luke Nethercot hit his receiver in stride for a 43-yard touchdown as the Tigers beat Pueblo County 33-28 on Friday.

Nethercot completed 24 of his 31 passes for 405 yards and five TDs for Canon City (2-0). Sullivan caught seven passes for 195 yards and two scores and Aaron McCoy had nine receptions for 92 yards and two TDs.

"It was a great throw on the final play and it was against the wind," Canon City coach Tom O'Rourke said. "It just goes to show his composure."

Nethercot has shown plenty of it in two games this season, throwing eight touchdowns and no interceptions. He ranks first in 3A in completion percentage with 10 or more attempts (78.4 percent) and third in passing yards (591).

Nethercot's finest moments Friday came in the waning seconds of regulation as he drove the Tigers 70 yards in 51 seconds.

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"The way he's playing, I think he's one of the best QBs around," O'Rourke said.

Canon City overcame 378 rushing yards from the Hornets (1-1) to notch its first 2-0 start since 2012.

Cheyenne Mountain puts injury-riddled 2014 behind

The Indians couldn't get through their 2014 schedule: Injuries piled up, a 40-man roster dwindled to just 12 healthy players, and Cheyenne Mountain was forced to forfeit the last two games of its season.

The sophomores from that team are seniors and the talent is finally flourishing. Zach Garrard led the way with nine tackles, a forced fumbled and a rushing touchdown, and the Indians (2-0) beat Sierra (0-2) 27-14 on Friday.

"We're not going to let it go to our heads," Cheyenne Mountain coach Willie Roberts said, "but it is very gratifying after the adversity this team has gone through."

The Indians begin the season 2-0 after winning only four games in the past three seasons.

Discovery Canyon more experienced in 2-0 start

Discovery Canyon, which was still breaking in 20 new starters at this time a year ago, went 0-4 before rattling off seven consecutive victories to reach the second round of the 3A playoffs in 2015.

That youthful team looks experienced in 2016: The Thunder, returning nine starters on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, beat Brighton 42-14 on Friday for their second consecutive lopsided win to start the year.

"I think the most important factor is the players we have returning this year," Discovery Canyon coach Shawn Mitchell said.

"Last year we had only two or three guys coming back, but this year we have like only two or three that didn't. That's probably the biggest difference."

The Thunder scored three offensive touchdowns in 12 plays in the first half. Defensively, they returned two interceptions for touchdowns, which included Jacob Vonloh's 102-yard pick-six.

Brent W. New, The Gazette

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