Lakewood football begins new era with win over old rival Wheat Ridge

LAKEWOOD — The new age of Lakewood football started with resounding cheers from the Tiger faithful Friday night at Trailblazer Stadium.

Under first-year head coach Cooper Loyd, Lakewood defeated old Jeffco rival Wheat Ridge 45-15 in the season opener for both teams. It was the first season-opening victory for the Tigers since 2019.

“It feels amazing,” Lakewood junior quarterback Kasten Steinke said after the highest scoring output for the Tigers since putting up 49 points against Arvada West back nearly seven years ago in 2019. “It’s a complete new start. We aren’t worried about last year or how Lakewood teams have done in the past. We are focused on this year.”

It has been since 2017 that Lakewood had a winning record. Lakewood did end its 43-game losing streak with a 20-7 victory over Overland last year in Week 8.

“It feels real good, but we have a lot of stuff to work on although,” said Loyd, who is a Ralston Valley High School graduate and youngest son of Matt Loyd former head coach at Golden, Ralston Valley and Frederick. “We didn’t want things to be a mess with a first-year coach. We have some things to clean-up, but the kids played lights out. They kids flew around and got after it.”

Lakewood held a 22-7 lead at halftime. Steinke opened up the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown pass to junior Shukrani Bumba Masela in the first quarter. The opening scoring drive was set up by a 44-yard completion to senior Caleb Garcia.

“We have been working so hard over the summer,” said Garcia, who had a 60-yard touchdown catch on the Tigers’ third touchdown of the first half. “We saw the open gaps and the opportunities tonight.”

Lakewood’s defense got into the scoring act in the second half. Junior Jayce Valdez and sophomore Eddie Longnecker both had interceptions that they returned for touchdowns to push the Tigers’ lead to 38-7 early in the fourth quarter.

“Our defense was on point,” Garcia said of the two defensive scores in the second half. “They only had a couple of deep passes. We had (Wheat Ridge’s) running game locked up.”

Freshman Jeremiah Sisneros capped off the glorious night for the Tigers with an 18-yard touchdown run for the final score of the game.

“We bought into the whole new coaching thing early,” Steinke said. “We let them take this team where it needs to be. They have shaped us into the team we are today. With the hard work we’ve put in … it led to a win tonight.”

Loyd’s coaching staff has two former head coaches in his father Matt Loyd and Aaron Paddock, who previously coached Monarch and then was an assistant with Matt Loyd at Frederick most recently.

“It allows me to focus on the culture and things that really matter,” Loyd said of having his father and Paddock on his coaching staff. “To have two guys who have been there and done that, it has been huge and super helpful.”

Loyd added that he wants Lakewood not only to be strong on the field, but in the classroom.

“When I got introduced as the head coach I told everyone that this wasn’t a rebuild year because then you have given up on the seniors at that point,” Loyd said. “We are going to make the playoffs. We are going to try to make a run. 4A football is open to anybody.

Lakewood is back on the field next Thursday night on the road against Overland.

“If they want me here for the next 40 years, I’ll be here for the next 40 years,” Loyd said about coaching at Lakewood.

Wheat Ridge will be back at Trailblazer Stadium next Thursday night to host The Academy. The Farmers are coming off a 2-8 record last season, but coach Brandon Wilkes does have some young talent.

His freshman son — Noah Wilkes — got the start at quarterback and threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to junior Jackson Morrish for the Farmers’ first touchdown of the season. Senior Chase Jenkins had the other touchdown on the night for Wheat Ridge with a 25-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

The last season that Wheat Ridge had an above .500 record was in 2015, over a decade ago.