D 49 football is finally upon us; and, with the D 49 teams all having similar talent, it could be a tossup as to which team will come out on top. The entire district lost many seniors, so with new faces on the varsity rosters itís unknown as to team performances.Sand Creek High SchoolSand Creek High School started off their season Aug. 29 against a talented Palmer Ridge (Monument) team just one hour before the Bears lost two of their players in a tragic accident in Monument. The Scorpions got off to a dismal start and were down by 27 at the half. They made a slight comeback in the second half but were not able to stop the Bears running game, as they allowed over 250 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. The final score was 53-20, with Bears on top.The Scorpions returned home to play Lewis-Palmer, and another poor performance picked them apart to the tune of 36-18 ó their second loss.The team however, put on a show for the homecoming game. Sand Creek held Aurora Central to only 140 yards, while they racked up 438 yards. They jumped on Aurora Central from the start and scored 42 of their 48 points in the first half, which led to a whopping 36-point victory and their first win of the season. The Scorpions then kept the wave of momentum going when they took on their next opponent, Air Academy.In that game, Air Academy quarterback Adam Brown set a new state record, with 59 passing yards, as well as seven touchdowns. Sand Creek running back Daniel Quin answered the challenge and put up an astonishing 553 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground on 64 carries. The two teams racked up an astounding 1,509 total yards and 130 combined points. The Scorpions trailed Air Academy by 1 point at the beginning of the fourth quarter but were able to come back and win the game 68-62. Their next game was played against Palmer High School after deadline ó on Sept. 26.Vista Ridge High SchoolThe Vista Ridge Wolves got off to a much more desirable start, winning their first four games. The first was a blowout against Northglenn High School that was never even close. The Wolves scored 47 in the first half before backing off a bit and taking the game 54-0.The following week featured another huge victory against Pueblo West. This one slid the Wolvesí way ó 34-14. The team was finally challenged in the third week of the season in a game against Ponderosa High School, out of Parker. The team entered the fourth quarter trailing for the first time this year, but even when faced with a challenge, Vista showed dominance as they came away with the 35-28 victory. The Wolves decided this game was as close as they wanted, so they added a little more cushion in their game against Palmer Ridge, with a 35-21 win.However, their impressive winning streak will be put to the test in their next game against reigning state champions, Pine Creek of District 20.Falcon High SchoolFalcon started off the year as favorites in the district but have since fallen to last place in D 49. Their first game was an intense, neck-and-neck matchup against Pine Creek. Falconís defensive back Isaiah Fields had two clutch interceptions. The Falcons entered the locker room at the end of the first half up 14-6 and then led by 1 point at the beginning of the fourth quarter. However, the Eagles were able to tie the game and send it into overtime.In extra time, the Falcons ran out of gas and were not able to stop the Eagles, who won 34-28. This loss seemed to take the air out of the Falconsí sails, and they lost their next game to Longmont 42-14.The next week, Pueblo West started off hot against Falcon, with a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The Falcons then held the Tornados scoreless throughout the rest of the game by forcing three fumbles. They came back and won 16-10. Their next game will be against a team that challenged the undefeated Vista Ridge: Ponderosa.Only one month into the season, and a few shocking games have already taken place in the district. This means that more exciting high school football is on the horizon.
