LAFAYETTE — Centaurus alumni spanning multiple generations huddled around midfield at Spangenberg Field for a group photo ahead of Friday’s homecoming game.
So many smiles on the wide lens and just one of the festivities done big and loud by the high school on this night. The football team, being no exception.
Fit for royalty, Ryan Tran had a touchdown and interception before he was named homecoming king at halftime. Ben Mischke finished off his fourth 100-yard game on the ground this season in the third quarter and the Warriors pulled away after a shaky start to blow out Palmer, 49-24.
The victory moved Centaurus (3-2, 2-0 4A League 8) above .500 for the first time since the pandemic-created spring season last year. It did it with big runs on repeat and a defense that regrouped after allowing two long opening-quarter passing touchdowns to the Terrors (0-5, 0-1).
A treat for the 150 or so graduates in attendance, Chance Wood added 178 passing yards and had a touchdown through the air and on the ground. He connected with Jack Parana in the waning seconds before half, then had a 1-yard TD sneak just after the break to push the lead to 35-16.
Mischke followed up his 187-yard rushing performance from last week’s 54-0 win over Hinkley with 119 on the ground in Week 5. He was one of six players to score on the ground for the Warriors.
All of it played to a three-hour game that included halftime spectacles by the marching band and cheer team, and a first quarter that ran 42 minutes long.
In a wild start, Palmer had its opening punt blocked before Thomas Pickern threw touchdowns of 75 and 80 yards.
Between those throws, Mischke and Tran each had 35-yard rushing TDs for the Warriors. Both ran through tacklers, tip-toeing the far sideline to get inside the pylon.
A little later, Seinlay Kning got his first score on the ground this season on the last play of the quarter to give the Warriors the lead for good, 22-16.
The back-and-forth would stop. Centaurus scored the next 34 points and led 49-16 after rushing TDs from Alan Najera and Addisu McCormick capped the third. It was the first TD of the year for Najera, third for McCormick.
Centaurus will look for its first three-game winning streak since 2017 when it travels to Mountain View Thursday.
![Fairview lacrosse’s first win over Monarch in three years was tailored in the narrative the Knights have been pushing for a while now. A young attacking core took another step forward in its growth process, a veteran defense remained strong, and Fairview coach Matthew Kelley’s team picked up a critical win for its postseason hopes, beating the Coyotes 13-8 on its home turf Wednesday night. “There’s still a lot of work to be done but moving in (the right) direction is exciting,” Kelley said. “It’s why we do this.” On paper, a third straight win on the season for the […]](https://www.coloradohometownweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BCC-L-LAX_1MJ2273.jpg?w=525 "Fairview lacrosse’s first win over Monarch in three years was tailored in the narrative the Knights have been pushing for a while now. A young attacking core took another step forward in its growth process, a veteran defense remained strong, and Fairview coach Matthew Kelley’s team picked up a critical win for its postseason hopes, beating the Coyotes 13-8 on its home turf Wednesday night. “There’s still a lot of work to be done but moving in (the right) direction is exciting,” Kelley said. “It’s why we do this.” On paper, a third straight win on the season for the […]")
