A-West football remains undefeated heading into Halloween showdown versus Ralston Valley

ARVADA — It might very well be the most anticipated regular-season football game in the 26-year history of the North Area Athletic Complex.

Arvada West and Ralston Valley will square off at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at the NAAC with plenty on the line. Both area rivals will come in undefeated with 9-0 records with the winner taking home the Class 5A Metro League title on Halloween night.

“Two 9-0 crosstown rival teams. We know those guys really well,” A-West senior quarterback Logan Duhachek said. “It’s going to be a great game. It will probably be another close game and we are built for those.”

Ralston Valley took care of business Thursday night cruising to a 48-7 road win over Denver East to get the Mustangs to 9-0. A-West had a much tougher test Friday at NAAC against Chatfield, but remained undefeated with a 28-27 victory.

“We keep figuring out how to win,” A-West coach CJ Hanna said of the Wildcats winning three games by a single point this season. “To me that is the most important part. I feel like any situation we can get in these guys can win.”

Chatfield (4-5, 2-2 in league) battled back from a 21-0 halftime deficit. Sophomore running back Devon Fleming scored on a 4-yard run with 58.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter to cut A-West’s lead to 28-27. Chatfield coach Kris Rosholt decided to go for the win with a 2-point conversion.

Hanna said if he was in the same position he would have went for the win too. A-West’s defense had a handful of starters sidelined with injuries, including senior linebacker Jaxon Pyatt and senior defensive end Tyriek Cullum.

Chatfield junior quarterback Cash Williams rolled to his right at the snap of the game-deciding play.

“I saw Cash rolling my way and honestly, it felt disrespectful that they even rolled my way,” A-West senior defensive back Jaiden Nichols said. “I felt like I had to put it away for us.”

Williams fired into the end zone, but Nichols was right at the goal line to knock the ball down. The ensuing onside kick went out of bounds and the Wildcats (9-0, 4-0) was able to escape with the victory.

“I think it really testifies to our culture. We can win close games,” Duhachek said. “Last year we weren’t winning these close games. It feels great to be 9-0.”

A-West had three different touchdown scorers in the first half against Chatfield. Duhachek tossed a 12-yard touchdown to junior Zane Stehwein in the first quarter.

The Wildcats got touchdown runs by sophomore Tegan Ribble and senior Caleb Gomez in the second quarter to open up a 21-0 lead at halftime for A-West.

Chatfield jumped on A-West in the third quarter. Sophomore Brigg Jones had a pick-6 for the Chargers to get Chatfield on the scoreboard with 10:30 left in the third quarter. Williams hit senior tight end Roni Rohlman in stride for a 19-yard touchdown to cut A-West’s lead to 21-14 with 3:03 left in the third quarter.

A-West’s defense had a key stop on a fourth-down play to give the ball back to the Wildcats’ offense early in the fourth quarter. Duhachek led a 54-yard, 10-play drive that the signal-caller capped off with a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Wildcats a little breathing room with a 28-14 lead with 8 minutes to play.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to make my team win,” Duhachek said of the 1-yard touchdown run.

Williams hit Rohlman for a 9-yard touchdown with 5:24 to make it a 28-21 lead.

A-West failed on a fourth-down play from Chatfield’s 43-yard line with 2:17 to play. The Chargers drove down the field in just over a minute, but couldn’t get the 2-point conversation to score the upset.

“You don’t think it is going to get that close and you are going to just keep doing what you were doing, but it’s football,” Hanna said of the Wildcats’ 21-0 lead at halftime. “We are in the end of the season and when you are 8-0 teams are going to want to play up to you and pull out all the stops.”

While A-West will have the showdown against Ralston Valley at NAAC, Chatfield will also be in its rivalry game. The Chargers face rival Columbine on Halloween night at Jeffco Stadium next week.