ARVADA, Colo. — Fossil Ridge left no doubt when they walked off the field of the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada on Friday night, after defeating the home team Arvada West Wildcats 50-14.
The Sabercats came out fast and furious with a ground game from running back-turned-quarterback Colton Pawlak. The sophomore accounted for the first two touchdowns in the first quarter alone.
Pawlak tested his own arm in the second quarter and hooked up with senior wide receiver Domenic Leone on a quick slant for the third unanswered touchdown to give the Sabercats a 21-0 lead.
The dominant defense provided a ton of pressure on the usually surefooted senior quarterback Ethan Cook of Arvada West. In the second quarter, Cook avoided a hit from senior defensive end Julian Smith, and instead threw an errant pass directly to Fossil Ridge senior linebacker Tanner Isom, who took it in for a 15-yard house call and gave his Sabercats a 28-0 lead.
The Wildcats avoided the halftime shutout, when Cook threw one up for Zion Thomas to high-point at the 2-yard-line with less than 40 seconds remaining. After a personal foul penalty brought the Wildcats even closer, Adrian Symalla punched it in from the half-yard mark.
It was once again all Fossil Ridge in the final two frames, when Pawlak called his own number once again for a 10-yard scramble and score.
Not to be outdone, his defense once again got on the box score, when Smith wrapped up Cook in the end zone for the safety.
If that didn't symbolically end the hopes for the Wildcats, another touchdown from the Sabercats to start the fourth quarter certainly did. Jackson Kohler broke the plane to lift his 'Cats into the final frame.
Fossil Ridge improves to 4-1 on the season with the 50-14 win, while Arvada West falls to 2-3. The Sabercats face cross-town rival Fort Collins next week, while A-West opens league play at Chatfield.
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