Football Preview: Ralston Valley Mustangs vs. Columbine Rebels
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Ralston Valley and Columbine are an even 5-5 against one another since September of 2015, but not for long. The Mustangs will host the Rebels at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Ralston Valley is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.
On Thursday, Ralston Valley blew past Denver South, posting a 47-7 victory. Considering the Mustangs have won five games by more than 19 points this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Zeke Andrews
| 10/09/25 @ Denver South | 171.9 |
| 10/10/24 vs Denver South | 169.4 |
| 10/03/25 vs Chatfield | 168.3 |
| 09/19/25 @ ThunderRidge | 161.9 |
| 09/26/25 vs Valor Christian | 151 |
Ralston Valley's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Zeke Andrews led the charge by throwing for 201 yards and three TDs while completing 93.8% of his passes, and also rushing for 30 yards and one score. The dominant performance also gave Andrews a new career-high in passer rating (171.9). Ralston Valley's leading receiver Nico Benallo was Andrews' top target yet again, picking up 92 receiving yards and one touchdown, while also punching in one score on the ground.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Ralston Valley proved: they limited Denver South to a paltry -0.1 yards per carry. While two picked up at least three total tackles, Cole Trebilcock stood above the rest. He picked up a sack, forced one fumble, and made three total tackles (2.0 for loss). Ralston Valley didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 9.5.
Ralston Valley's defense didn't let George O'Reilly, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Trebilcock, Jake Lester, and John Brooks, who each picked up one sack apiece. Ralston Valley received some extra help from Brady Warren, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
Meanwhile, Columbine faced Arvada West in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Thursday. The Rebels fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 20-17. The Rebels' loss signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Ralston Valley will have to keep a close watch on Mark Snyder and Ajay Gonzales, a pair of players who had a big impact on Columbine's prior game. Snyder rushed for 153 yards and one TD, while Gonzales rushed for 77 yards and one touchdown.
Columbine now has a losing record of 3-4. As for Ralston Valley, their win bumped their record up to 7-0.
Ralston Valley barely slipped by Columbine in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, winning 35-34. Will the Mustangs repeat their success, or do the Rebels have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
