Arvada West is 1-8 against Columbine since October of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Wildcats will be playing in front of their home fans against the Rebels at 7:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Arvada West sitting on six straight wins and Columbine on three.
On Friday, Arvada West humbled Denver South with a 45-7 victory. The result was nothing new for the Wildcats, who have now won four contests by 21 points or more so far this season.
Keegen Balistreri was nothing short of spectacular: he picked up 103 receiving yards and a pair of scores. Another player making a difference was Tyriek Cullum, who rushed for 70 yards and one TD on only nine carries.
Arvada West's run defense was locked in: Denver South could only muster -0.4 yards per carry. The team can thank Roman Gallegos for the heroic effort on defense: he. The dominant display was nothing new: Arvada West has now limited their opponent to fewer and fewer yards per carry in three consecutive matchups.
Arvada West's defense didn't let George O'Reilly, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for five sacks. Leading the way was Lyle Cavanaugh with two. Tucker Rhoades got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Columbine). They breezed past Denver East to the tune of 48-9 on Friday. The game was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 41-0.
Arvada West better focus on containing Lucas Gonzales and Mark Snyder as the pair were huge in Columbine's win. Gonzales rushed for 65 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Snyder rushed for 63 yards and two scores on only five carries. That's the most rushing touchdowns Snyder has posted since back in November of 2024. James Himes got in on the action as well, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Columbine didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Jesse Adame and Himes. Himes got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
The victory got Columbine back to even at 3-3. As for Arvada West, their win bumped their record up to 6-0.
Thursday's contest might be decided on the ground. Arvada West has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 173.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Columbine struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 237.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Arvada West suffered a grim 35-14 defeat to Columbine in their previous meeting back in October of 2024. Will the Wildcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
