There were many questions surrounding the Montezuma-Cortez High School football team.
A move up to 3A was perhaps the biggest concern.
The Panthers hosted the Battle Mountain Huskies in their first 3A Western Slope League game this season Friday night at Panther Stadium.
M-CHS set the tone early and recovered the opening kickoff at the 29-yard line. Three plays later, the Panthers were in the end zone and never looked back.
Sophomore quarterback Jonathan Walck started under center and the Panthers offense cruised. The defense stepped up when it needed and M-CHS notched a 34-20 win.
They said, Dont be scared. Dont be nervous. Just stay focused. Dont let the nerves get to you, said Walck regarding what his coaching staff told him prior to the game. It built my confidence a lot. I feel great going into next week. Im going to work real hard.
Walck scored the opening touchdown on a 5-yard run and bruising running back Trenton Gustafson ran in the 2-point conversion to quickly give the Panthers (1-1, 1-0 WSL) an 8-0 first quarter lead.
The Huskies (0-3, 0-1 WSL) responded in the second stanza with a 58-yard scoring drive. Keenan Bowman ate up chunks on the ground for the Huskies. He capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. The point after attempt by Chase Keep was no good and the score read 8-6 M-CHS.
It was all Panthers from there.
Even when the Huskies would seize momentum, the Panthers would have an answer.
M-CHS indeed answered on its next drive. Tallon Ralstin moved to fullback from quarterback and took a handoff 16 yards for a first down. The Panthers later faced fourth-and-2 at the Battle Mountain 33. Walck ran five yards up the middle to keep the drive alive. On second-and-long from the 19, Walck, the lefty, hit Dakota Goosen in stride over the middle 15 yards to set up first-and-goal at the 4. The next play, the QB took it in the end zone himself for a touchdown.
Alex Lopezs extra point was good to lift the Panthers to a 15-6 lead.
After Battle Mountain went three-and-out and punted from its own end zone, M-CHS received fine field position at the Huskies 31.
It took just three plays for the Panthers to find pay dirt. Lopez scored six on a 20-yard run up the middle. His PAT made it 22-6 right before halftime where the score stood.
Lopez opened the third quarter with a speedy 32-yard kick return to the Battle Mountain 48.
Walck went back to the air. This time, to sophomore Ryan Gurney. The young receiver caught a 20-yarder from Walck that made it first-and-goal. On the next play, Walck rolled right, and threw left to Gurney and he took it in from four yards out to up the score at 28-6 Panthers.
Battle Mountain climbed back in it when the Huskies grinded out a scoring drive on the ground.
Adolpho Duran ran 20 yards setting up blazing Blaize Olles 25-yard scamper. Bowman ran it in from four yards out to get within 28-13.
M-CHS didnt get rattled.
Early in the fourth, the Panthers stuck to the ground game to eat up some clock. They continued to light up the scoreboard after Gustafson joined the touchdown fun. On second-and-5 from the 20, Gustafson took it to the house down the left sideline. M-CHS was back up three touchdowns at 34-13.
Olle would score his first touchdown from 16 yards out to cut the margin to 34-20 with 5:43 remaining.
However, Battle Mountains onside kick was recovered by the Panthers. M-CHS would run out the clock and record their first win of the season.
Overall, a team effort. We had a great week of practice, M-CHS coach Casey Coulter said. Coming in, I felt much better than the prior week. The kids just played well. Theres a lot of stuff we need to clean up and they know that. Overall, well take this any day and everyday.
Walck rushed 16 times for 72 yards and passed 6-of-17 for 92 yards. He had three touchdowns; one passing and two rushing. Gustafson carried the ball 11 times for 106 yards and a score, and recorded 10 tackles. Ralstin had a game high 11 stops on defense, while Haley tackled nine Huskies. Haley also snared three catches for 51 yards.
We played really hard. Im just glad we could get the win. Its been a long time and everybody is just playing their butts off. It was a great game, Walck said. They (offensive line) got low, they did their job. You couldnt ask for a better line. Everybody is fired up.
Olle rushed for 123 yards on 18 carries, while Bowman tallied 64 yards on eight carries with two touchdowns for Battle Mountain.
It was a major turnaround for a Panthers team that was trounced 46-7 last week at Cedaredge.
This team is made up of selfless kids. Thats what you have to have to win, Coulter said. Weve got that going on right now. Everyones doing their part, doing their job and were gelling pretty well right now.
M-CHS will continue league play at Palisade (2-0, 1-0 WSL) on Saturday at noon and host Rifle (2-0, 1-0 WSL) next Friday at 7 p.m. Rifle and Palisade are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in 3A by Coloradopreps.com and the Denver Post ranks them No. 1 and No. 3, respectively.
Were going to run the gauntlet now with two very, extremely tough teams, Coulter said. Well start tomorrow on Palisade. Well prepare our kids as best as we can. Well see what happens.
bobbya@cortezjournal.ocm.