Football Week 2: At Doherty Spartans
Mullen takes its 1-0 record on the road to Colorado Springs.
THIS WEEK IN MULLEN FOOTBALL
WEEK 2: Vs. Doherty Spartans, Colorado Springs
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, Kickoff 7 p.m.
WHERE: Garry Berry Stadium, 2020 Glenn Summer Road, Colorado Springs 80909
Status: Class 5A nonleague
Records: Doherty (0-1); Mullen (1-0)
Head coaches: Dwight Hale, first year with Doherty; Stanley Richardson, first year with Mullen
History: Last year’s meeting was their first in at least 15 seasons. Mullen won 35-28 in Week 2 in three overtimes. The Spartans, who may turn out to be the last 5A team in Colorado Springs, have had just four winning seasons over their last 12. _________________________________________________
Players to watch for Mullen:
7, Wilson Yee, Sr., K, 5-11, 175
12, Ben Marcoux, Sr., WR, 5-10, 175
20, Silas Daffin, LB, 6-1, 225
22, Damien Cearns, Sr., RB, 5-11, 184
53, Trevor Kirking, Sr., LB, 6-2, 240
74, Matthew Maiava, Jr., OL, 6-1, 265
75, Micah Maiava, Jr., OL, 6-0, 260
76, Michael Maiava, Jr., OL, 6-2, 250
92, Aidan Keanaaina, Sr., DL-OL, 6-3, 300
Notable: This will be Mullen’s 860th game since first playing in 1936 in the old Parochial League. The Mustangs are 586-255-18 in their history.
Doherty also is coming off a 45-6 whipping at the very large hands of Cherry Creek, which was state runner-up the past season. …
Mullen shut out the Far Northeast Warriors last week, winning its opener 34-0 in the first night game at the Evie Dennis Complex. It was its first shutout since blanking Westminster 41-0 in 2016, a span of 31 games. The Mustangs had shut out parochial-rival Regis Jesuit 17-0 in the previous week. …
The Mustangs have split their past six nonleague games. …
Ryan Hearty rushed for three touchdowns last week, his first three-TD game “ever,” he said. … Cearns led Mullen with 152 yards rushing and a 61-yard TD. He had two other long runs negated by penalties. …
Cearns and Hearty each had 43-yard receptions. …
Jaxon Heil had a team-high six tackles, including three for losses. …
Notre Dame commit Keanaaina had a sack among his three tackles and three assists, and Lorenzo Riley-Combs had two sacks. …
The Mustangs actually had less first downs (eight) than the Warriors (10). …
Mullen held the FNE Warriors to minus-23 yards rushing, 86 for the game. … The Mustangs also ran 77 plays from scrimmage.
Next up for Mullen: It will have its home opener, Friday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m., against rival Cherry Creek.
Coachspeak from Richardson
On his first victory:
“I’m super proud about accomplishing our first goal, to win that first game. We obviously had quite a few penalties and errors, but there’s a lot to build on and I’m excited about what’s to come. Always take a win no matter how it comes.”
On facing Doherty:
“We had a chance to look at (the Spartans) against Cherry Creek both in person and on film, and they seem to be young and scrappy. They got beaten up pretty good, but it was their first game and I expect them to be better.”
On his team moving toward improvement:
“Starting offensively, we’ve been working with the quarterback to manage the game better than we did last week. We definitely have to improve our offensive-line play and get away from the penalties; not as much as the holding penalties as it’s about getting better offensively. For special teams, we missed some field goals, but Wilson gave us a tremendous effort. The defense was just stellar.”
______________________________________________________
Week 2 Class 5A Schedule
(Visiting teams listed first)
Thursday (all nonleague)
Columbine vs. Ponderosa, 6 p.m.
Chaparral vs. Rocky Mountain, 7 p.m.
Highlands Ranch vs. Grandview, 7 p.m.
Mullen vs. Doherty, 7 p.m.
Ralston Valley vs. Fairview, 7 p.m.
Regis Jesuit vs. Overland, 7 p.m.
Friday
Metro 10 League
Prairie View vs. Denver East, 6 p.m.
Mountain Range vs. Adams City, 7 p.m.
Northglenn vs. Boulder, 7 p.m.
Westminster vs. Far Northeast, 7 p.m.
Nonleague
Pomona vs. Bear Creek, 4 p.m.
Arapahoe vs. Castle View, 7 p.m.
Arvada West vs. Horizon, 7 p.m.
Cedar Grove, Ga. vs. Valor Christian, 7 p.m.
Fort Collins vs. Fossil Ridge, 7 p.m.
Fountain-Fort Carson vs. Eaglecrest, 7 p.m.
Lakewood vs. ThunderRidge, 7 p.m.
Legacy vs. Bothell, Wash., 7 p.m.
Poudre vs. Legend, 7 p.m.
Santa Margarita, Calif. vs. Cherry Creek, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Metro 10 league
Rangeview vs. Smoky Hill, 6 p.m.
Nonleague
Douglas County vs. Rock Canyon, 1 p.m.
© 2020 Mullen High School. All Rights Reserved.