ARVADA — Golden’s football team is out to a 2-0 start for the first time since the 2018 season.
“We have a different mindset this year,” Golden senior Dalton Summers said after the Demons pulled away from Green Mountain in the second half Friday night at the North Area Athletic Complex. “We don’t want to lose a game, that’s for sure. We want to play our best football every game.”
Summers scored a pair of second-half touchdowns to help give the No. 10-ranked team in Class 4A a solid 35-14 victory over a tough 3A squad in Green Mountain (1-1 record).
“This was a big game for our kids because it’s a cross-town rivalry,” Golden coach Jared Yannacito said. “We wanted to come out with intensity. Hats off to Green Mountain. They are a tough team that is very well-coached.”
The Demons had the same intensity they had in their huge Week 1 victory over Broomfield at the NAAC.
Golden junior quarterback Jazel Riley hurt the Rams with his arm and his legs in the first half. Riley hooked up with senior Tobias Trujillo for a key 32-yard catch to set up the Demons first touchdown. Riley scored on a 16-yard touchdown on the opening drive.
Riley closed out the first half with an 8-play, 80-yard drive. The first-year starter was 6-for-7 passing on the driving, including a big 40-yard connection with senior Eddie O’Sullivan. Riley scampered into the end zone with less than a minute to play in the first half to give Golden a 14-6 lead at halftime.
“Ever since June we’ve been practicing these plays over and over,” Riley said. “We have been building a foundation and coming together. As a team we are doing amazing.”
Green Mountain’s lone first-half score came with a price.
The Rams had a 10-play, 52-yard touchdown drive. Rams’ sophomore back-up quarterback Blake Weslin scored on a 3-yard run to cap the drive, but Green Mountain starting quarterback Zachary Wallace got hurt on a 22-yard pass completion to junior Donnie Carney that put the Rams’ on Golden’s 1-yard line.
Wallace returned for one series in the second half, but Weslin got most of the snaps after halftime.
“(Wallace) is a great leader for us and super tough,” Green Mountain coach Jesse German said.
German admitted the outcome could have been different had Wallace not been injured. The hope to get the Rams’ starting quarterback healthy for Green Mountain’s homecoming next week against another undefeated 4A opponent in Standley Lake.
“We know we can get into the playoffs if we win our conference,” German said. “We want to go through a gantlet before we get there. We want to be battle tested. We are focusing on the process. We need to find ways to get better.”
Golden got better in the second half against Green Mountain. Riley hit senior Josh Torrey for a 23-yard touchdown to push the Demons’ lead to 21-6. Summers finished off the scoring with a pair of second-half touchdowns.
“I went into halftime a little (mad) because it’s a big game for me. I wanted to make a statement today,” Summers said. “I grew up playing against a lot of those Green Mountain guys in lacrosse and football.”
Green Mountain’s lone score in the second half was a defensive score. Sophomore George Soppe had a scoop and score midway through the fourth quarter to make the final score 35-14.
“The scoreboard didn’t go our way tonight, but we have only a couple of seniors,” German said. “Our word right now is maturely. We’ve got a ton of sophomores and some really good juniors too. Kids are stepping up.”
Golden will attempt to stay undefeated as it hits the road for the first time this season. The Demons face Skyline (1-0) next Friday night.
“It’s hard to give credit to just one guy,” Yannacito said of Riley who has been a big difference maker for the Demons through two games. “The line is blocking well. The running backs are seeing the holes well. The quarterback is making plays. The receivers are getting yards after the catch. We need to continue to get better.”