Running back Phallen Salvati and quarterback Malakhi Espinosa each scored four touchdowns for the Palisade High School football team as the Bulldogs reached a season-high point total in a 62-26 win over Steamboat Springs.

Salvati rushed for 51 yards and three touchdowns, whiles also hauling in a 49-yard strike from Espinosa, who added 153 yards and three scores on the ground.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY COAL RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Meanwhile, Steamboat Spring got another big offensive performance from quarterback Jake Hamric despite seeing their five-game winning streak snapped. The senior totaled 390 yards on 25-of-38 passing with four touchdowns and only one interception.

Elsewhere in Class 3A, Summit bounced back from its first league loss with a 47-0 thumping of Battle Mountain. Quarterback Jack Schierholz threw for four touchdowns and ran for another, compiling 222 yards of total offense.

Glenwood Springs handed Eagle Valley its fourth consecutive loss, winning the showdown 35-20. Quarterback Joaquin Sandoval rushed for three touchdowns and added another through the air to pace the offense.

In Class 4A, top-ranked Montrose hammered Air Academy 50-7, putting up 28 points in the second quarter alone.

Fruita Monument got a strong performance from its defense in a 42-14 win over Coronado. Luke Bennett finished with seven tackles – two for loss — while also tallying two sacks and a forced fumble. Wyatt Sharpe and Kaison Stegelmeier each crossed the century mark on the ground, leading a Wildcats’ rushing attack that totaled 444 yards across 10 ball-carriers.

Grand Junction Central saw its two-game winning streak snapped in a 38-24 loss to Skyline and Grand Junction lost its ninth straight, falling 20-7 to Centaurus.

In 2A action, Delta secured the West League championship and handed Moffat County its first defeat in the process, winning 17-14. Timothy Horn ran for 112 yards and one touchdown for the Panthers, while Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Peck threw for 115 yards and a touchdown on 10-of-19 passing.

Basalt eked out a 29-28 overtime victory over Rifle. Cooper Crawford ran in the final touchdown and accompanying two-point conversion to secure the win.

Aspen turned in a 48-7 win to send Coal Ridge to its eighth straight defeat.

Class 1A action was highlighted by big passing performances from North Fork and Cedaredge. The Miners picked up the 50-12 victory, led by Hunter Moreno. The sophomore completed 6 of 10 passes for 128 yards and touchdown, with the score coming on a 46-yard strike to Blaine Peebles. For Cedaredge, Luke Maxie completed 18 of those passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns with only one interception.

Meeker cruised to a 49-0 win over Olathe, with six different players scoring at least one rushing touchdown: Kelton Turner, Liam Deming, Porter Hossack, Clay Crawford, Xavier Leblanc and Zach Simonsen.

Gunnison handled Roaring Fork 38-0, setting up a major showdown for second place in the 1A Western Slope Conference this week with North Fork.

In 8-man, Vail Christian remained undefeated with a 34-12 in over Rangely. The Saints got a big day from quarterback Taylor Shull, who led the team in both passing and rushing. The junior passed for 249 yards and three touchdowns on 14-of-24 passing, and added 13 carries for 140 yards on the ground. Vincent Nowicki — who also crossed the century mark for rushing and caught two TD passes — as well as Peter Mills each added rushing touchdowns. Rangely quarterback Keihlin Myers threw for two touchdowns.

Plateau Valley secured a 56-22 win over Soroco. Cowboys quarter Tallen Long threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, while running back Colton Witzel tallied 179 yards and two scores on the ground.

VOLLEYBALL 

Meeker continued its dominance of the 2A/1A Western Slope League with sweeps of Caprock Academy and Vail Mountain. The Cowboys remain undefeated and have won 36 consecutive sets. Emma Luce had 40 kills across the two matches and her season-total 443 kills leads not only Class 2A, but all classifications in Colorado.

Vail Christian pushed its winning streak to five games with wins over Rangely and North Park, while West Grand did the same with wins over Moffat County and Caprock Academy.

Rangely turned in a five-set victory over Vail Mountain for its second win in five matches.

In Class 3A, Delta secured its undefeated run through the 3A Western Slope League by sweeping Rifle. Raelee McCurdy had nine kills for the Panthers, while Ellie Ames had seven kills and three blocks.

The Bears bounced back from that loss with tournament victories over Grand Junction and Pueblo South.

North Fork won its sixth straight, completing sweeps of Gunnison and Cedaredge while defeating 4A Grand Junction Central 3-1. Kacie McCollum finished with a team-high 12 kills against Gunnison and another 15 against Cedaredge, while the team combined on 10 blocks versus Central.

Coal Ridge won a pair of league matches, downing Cedaredge and Gunnison. Peyton Garrison had 14 kills against Cedaredge, while Emma Morgan had 18 assists and 17 digs against Gunnison.

Aspen picked up a five-set victory over Steamboat Springs.

For 4A action, Palisade picked up a pair of victories, defeating Grand Junction Central and Glenwood Springs. In the sweep of the Warriors, Palisade freshman Addie Ritterbush turned in 16 kills, four aces, three blocks and 15 digs — all team highs.

Summit earned a sweep against Kennedy for its second consecutive win.

Montrose swept Delta, headlined by big hitting performances from Madisen Matoush and Kelsey Rocco, and secured a five-set win over Durango. Rocco and Matoush were key in this match as well, notching 21 and 11 kills, respectively.

In 5A, Fruita Monument earned sweeps of Durango and Battle Mountain to improve to 16-3. BayLea Sparks rained down 16 kills against Durango, while Brady Thomason had 11 kills and four blocks against Battle Mountain.

SOFTBALL 

Both Grand Junction Central and Meeker made first-round exits from their respective state tournaments.

In 5A, Central fell 9-4 to Chatfield. The Warriors had multi-hit days from Bailee Ritterbush and Olivia Litzen, while Colorado Mesa University-bound Kennedy Vis pitched her final game in the red and white.

Meeker was no-hit by Sterling, who advanced to the semifinals of the 3A tournament before falling to top-seeded Lutheran.

BOYS SOCCER 

Glenwood Springs defeated Roaring Fork 3-0 to further shake up the 4A/3A Western Slope League. Reid Swanson scored twice while Erick Cordero found the net once. The Demons also defeated Basalt 2-0, powered by Juan Chacon and Cordero.

Coal Ridge secured its sixth straight win by beating Palisade 5-0. Alexis Serna led the way with two goals, while Ezra Williams, Alan Quezada and Eddie Salazer scored once each. Williams also had three assists.

Aspen defeated Colorado Rocky Mountain School 3-0, paced by two goals from Charlie Forster.

Previously winless Delta earned its first victory of the season with a 7-2 win over Moffat County. The Panthers got scoring from all four players honored for senior day — Kyler Parker, Ku Moo, Ignacio Gomez and Lorenzo Checchi — as well as James LaBounty and Corbin Loucks.

In the Southwestern League, Grand Junction moved its winning streak to five by defeating rival Central 6-0. Luiz Aguirre scored four times.

Central, meanwhile, had a 1-1 draw with Fruita Monument. Alejandro Jiminez had 26 saves against the Wildcats, beat only by Caleb Kyle.