ARVADA — It took awhile for Ralston Valley football to warm up in the 30-degree weather late Thursday afternoon at the North Area Athletic Complex.
However, a 28-point second quarter by the Mustangs — No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com Class 5A football rankings — heated up Ralston Valley enough to stay undefeated on the season. Ralston Valley took a 42-0 victory over Lakewood.
Ralston Valley junior Jack Hestra (15) celebrates his 42-yard catch with senior Chase Wilson during the Mustangs’ 28-point second quarter Thursday against Lakewood. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We needed to pick it. We needed more energy,” Ralston Valley senior linebacker Braden Siders said about the Mustangs’ slow start. “Once we got that we were good.”
Lakewood had a solid opening drive, but the Mustangs’ defense eventually stiffened. The Tigers missed a 44-yard field goal. Ralston Valley’s opening drive went 13-plays, but a pair of holding penalties and a missed 40-yard field goal kept the game scoreless.
“We stopped ourselves on that first drive,” Ralston Valley senior quarterback Walker Brickle said. “We tightened ourselves up and kind of went rolling from there.”
Brickle stayed hot after throwing for nearly 300 yards against then top-ranked Columbine last week in a 24-23 victory for the Mustangs. Brickle tossed three touchdown passes in the span of six minutes in the second quarter after the scoreless first quarter.
Brickle used a lot of his deep receiving core hitting four different players on his four touchdown passes on the night. JJ Galbreath, Jack Hestera and Devin McNearny had touchdown catches from Brickle on three straight touchdown drives in the second quarter.
“It helps us when it comes to teams scouting us to show that we have multiple weapons,” Brickle said of the variety of offensive options. “Everyone really showed up today and the line gave me time to throw.”
Ralston Valley senior Chase Wilson runs the ball during the first quarter at the NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Ralston Valley senior running back Chase Wilson closed out the first half with a 1-yard touchdown run and successful 2-point conversion run with 11 seconds before halftime to give the Mustangs a 28-0 lead at halftime.
The formula Ralston Valley (9-0, 4-0 in 5A Metro West League) has been using all season continued to work against Lakewood (5-4, 1-3). The Mustangs’ stellar defense forced three straight 3-and-outs by the Tigers to give Ralston Valley great field position in Lakewood territory.
“The defense is really playing great. I’m so proud of them,” Brickle said.
The Mustangs’ defense is allowing just over 10 points per game and has two shutout victories.
Ralston Valley kept it going in the second half with a spectacular touchdown catch by Wilson for 32-yards. A 10-yard touchdown run by Tyler Roybal with 8 minutes left in the third quarter induced a running clock for the remainder of the game.
The Mustangs close out the regular season next week against rival and No. 7 Pomona at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at NAAC. The game will decide the conference title.
“The job is not done,” Wilson said. “We’ve got to lock in next week and get in the film room tomorrow. Pomona is a great team. It’s going to be a dogfight. We can’t come out flat.”
Lakewood wraps up its regular season next Friday night at Mullen. The Tigers were No. 20 in RPI before the loss to Ralston Valley, so Lakewood is still in good position to make the 32-team state tournament field.
Lakewood junior Jason Duong (6) gets pressure from Ralston Valley senior Braden Siders during the second quarter Thursday at the NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)