Arvada West senior Isaiah Ocana (20) breaks into the open Friday night at NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — Three first-quarter touchdown passes by Arvada West quarterback Johnny Krutsch was all the offense the Wildcats needed Friday night.
A-West, No. 10 in the Class 5A football CHSAANow.com poll, improved to 4-0 on the season with a 40-0 victory over 4A’s Wheat Ridge at the North Area Athletic Complex.
“I was really happy with the first and third quarters,” A-West coach Brad Pyatt said. “I was pretty disappointed with our efficiency in the second quarter, but overall I’m happy where we are at as a team. I’m excited about the next couple of weeks.”
Arvada West senior Cameron Wilbur reacts after a touchdown catch in the first quarter Friday night at NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Krutsch tossed a pair of touchdown passes of 9 and 16 yards to junior Nick Nuhfer and connected with senior Cameron Wilbur for a third score in the first quarter to give the Wildcats a quick 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
Wheat Ridge (1-2) could only muster up a single first down on its first three offensive possessions.
After a scoreless second quarter, the Wildcats opened up the second half with a heavy dose of running back Oliver Petelo. The junior cracked off runs of 28, 8 and 32 yards before scoring on a 5-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 26-0.
Petelo has carried the rushing load for A-West the past two weeks with senior Tony Cass out with an injury.
“It’s been a pleasant surprise to see Oli (Petelo) the last two games,” Pyatt said. “He is a nice second running back with Tony (Cass). It gives us that one-two punch we’ve needed for the last two years.”
Pyatt added that Cass will be ready to play next week.
“I thought we responded well,” Krutsch said of the bounce back after the sluggish third quarter. “It’s going to be a good test next week.”
Arvada West senior Chris McEahern (3) takes a hit from Wheat Ridge sophomore Rocco Tate during the first quarter Friday night at NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Krutsch — who has thrown 16 touchdown passes in A-West’s first four games — tossed his fourth TD of the night and first to senior Chris McEahern midway through the third quarter to put the A-West lead to 32-0. Krutsch’s fifth touchdown pass went to Isaiah Ocana. A successful two-point conversion induced the running clock with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter with a Wildcats’ 40-0 lead.
“Chris McEahern is obviously doing really well this year,” Pyatt said. “You saw tonight we can spread it around with the other receivers and Johnny had another great game.”
From here on out, the schedule toughens up for A-West.
“The test starts now,” Krutsch said after the Wildcats sent their large crowd home happy with a shutout victory for A-West’s homecoming game.
The Wildcats wrap up non-league play next week with a road trip Friday, Sept. 21, to Legacy Stadium in Aurora to face No. 6 Eaglecrest. The Raptors were last year’s 5A state runner-up.
“I know we’ve got a good team,” Pyatt said. “I’m really excited to see how we handle this next week and the next couple after that.”
After Eaglecrest (4-0), A-West dives into the deep and talented 5A Metro West League that features three teams — Columbine, Pomona and Ralston Valley — all ranked in the top-10 with the Wildcats.
Wheat Ridge (1-2) will regroup and have its homecoming game at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21, at Jeffco Stadium against Centaurus.
Wheat Ridge quarterback Anthony Tate (4) tries to escape from Arvada West senior Trey Wallen. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)