Durango’s Gavin Mestas. (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)
Well, welcome to the 2016 season, Gavin Mestas.
The Durango junior was all over the field in his team’s 21-20 win against Class 2A No. 4 Delta in Zero Week on Friday night.
A wide receiver, defensive back and kicker, Mestas did the following on Friday night:
- Intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown.
- Hauled in a 42-yard receiving touchdown.
- Kicked three extra points.
- Returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score.
That last feat earned him an entry into the state record book. Mestas is the 22nd player in the history of the sport to return a kickoff at least 99 yards, and he is now tied for the ninth-longest return ever.
Mestas had 241 yards and three touchdowns receiving, and 48 tackles and four interceptions on defense last season as the Demons reached the Class 4A quarterfinals.
Durango has moved down to 3A this season.
2A: (2) Kent Denver 44, Prospect Ridge Academy 0
Scott Yates. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Kent Denver gave coach Scott Yates his 305th career win. He is now one away from tying the all-time wins record.
West Grand coach Chris Brown is currently tied with Pat Panek at 306 career wins. West Grand begins its season next week.
This was the first-ever varsity game for Prospect Ridge Academy.
Notables
- Sedgwick County, the defending champion in 8-man, opened its season with a 58-0 win over Creek Valley (Neb.). The Cougars have now won 14 games in a row — the longest active streak in the state. Buena Vista (1A) and Pueblo East (3A) also enter the 2016 season with 13-game winning streaks, but neither team plays in Zero Week.
- In 2A, No. 8 Resurrection Christian had 23 unanswered points as the Cougars beat No. 9 Sterling 34-6.
- In 8-man, a top-10 matchup between No. 2 Akron and No. 8 Granada didn’t exactly live up to the hype as the Rams rolled 59-0.
- Bayfield had its 12-game winning streak snapped with a 19-0 loss to San Juan (Utah).
- 3A No. 2 Roosevelt, runner up a season ago, opened its season with a 39-0 win against Thornton.
- Grand Junction Central nearly pulled off an upset, but 3A No. 6 Palisade held on with a 31-26 win.
- 3A No. 7 Rifle beat Basalt 48-34.
- Another top-10 team in 3A, Holy Family (No. 9), opened with a 40-19 win at Mountain View.
- 1A No. 4 Crowley County beat Colorado Springs Christian 32-22. And No. 10 Meeker beat Highland 18-8.