Football Recap: Plateau Valley Comes Up Short

Plateau Valley was the 40-30 winner over Hayden when they last played one another back in October of 2024, but their luck changed this time around. The Cowboys took a hard 56-38 fall against the Tigers on Friday. The Cowboys were up 30-14 in the second quarter but couldn't hold on to the lead.

Colter Ralston threw for 276 yards and three TDs while picking up 11.5 yards per attempt. London Mitchell was his top target, picking up 210 receiving yards and a pair of scores. On the ground, Vance Sheffield rushed for 50 yards and one touchdown.

Hayden's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Peyton Johnson, who rushed for 124 yards and three scores, and also threw for 100 yards and a pair of TDs. What's more, Johnson racked up 156.3 passer rating, the most he's had since back in September of 2024. Another back making a difference was Danek DeMorat, who rushed for 209 yards and a pair of touchdowns while picking up 12.3 yards per carry.

This is the second loss in a row for Plateau Valley and nudges their season record down to 4-2. As for Hayden, their victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 3-2.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming contests. Plateau Valley will take on Lake County at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. The Cowboys will be up against the Panthers' rather soft defense (which has allowed 49.6 points per matchup), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance. As for Hayden, they will square off against Rangely at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The Tigers will be up against the Panthers' rather soft defense (which has allowed 29.2 points per game), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance.