New Chatfield quarterback guides Chargers to win over Golden
LAKEWOOD — Chatfield sophomore Mason Lowe has gone from receiver to running back to quarterback in the span of four weeks.
Chatfield starting quarterback senior Ethan Delfino suffered an injury late in the game last week against Bear Creek. Chargers’ coach Brett McGatlin called on Lowe to take over the reins at quarterback Friday night at Jeffco Stadium.
“He (Lowe) is our best player. He is a special kid and is someone the state is going to know really well over the next couple of years,” McGatlin said of his new quarterback that helped the Chargers to a 37-14 victory over Golden. “He is one of the best athletes in the sophomore class in the state. We taught him quarterback in three days.”
Lowe had never played quarterback at any level, let alone a Class 4A Jeffco League varsity football game. The sophomore looked comfortable running ‘Wildcat’ for the majority of the snaps and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run just before halftime to put Chatfield up 16-0.
Lowe went to the air in the second half to extend Chatfield’s lead. He hooked up with fellow sophomore Blake Cowgill for a 7-yard touchdown to open the scoring in the third quarter. Lowe tossed his second touchdown pass of his career midway through the fourth quarter with a 31-yard strike to junior Mason Cowgill.
“I came in here not expecting to throw too much,” Lowe admitted. “Once I got in the groove I was like, ‘I’ve got this.’ I’ll do whatever it takes to win games.”
Lowe had 215 yards rushing and 174 yards receiving on the season coming into the game. McGatlin expects to likely use Lowe at quarterback for the final two weeks of the regular season.
“He truly is a slash,” McGatlin said of Lowe. “He can do it all. It’s going to be fun to watch him the next couple of years.”
While Lowe might have been the headliner, Chatfield defense actually got things started.
“Last week I felt like we were a little too unaggressive,” McGatlin admitted. “We built this defense to be aggressive because the type of players we have. We have a lot of players that are young and aggressive.”
The Chargers defense put immense pressure on Golden all night, including sacking Golden quarterback Joey Mancuso six times in the first half. Chatfield junior Elijah Rodriguez opened up the scoring with an interception of Mancuso late in the first quarter.
Rodriguez returned the pick 35 yards to the end zone to give Chatfield (2-2, 2-1 in 4A Jeffco) a 6-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
“That was crazy. I don’t know what was going on in my head,” Rodriguez said of the pick-6. “I didn’t think I had the ball. It was the best felling in my life.”
Golden (1-3, 1-2) did prevent the shutout with a nice drive in the fourth quarter. Mancuso hooked up with junior Joshua Torrey to get the Demons down to Chatfield’s 7-yard line. Junior De’Jour DuBois scored on a 7-yard touchdown run on the next play.
Mancuso had a 12-yard touchdown pass late to senior Andy Toth to close out the scoring.
“At times late in the second half there were definitely some positive stuff,” Golden coach Jared Yannacito said after the loss. “This is a year where we’ve been tested.”
Friday night was the first games this season where no spectators were allowed in the stands for prep football games at Jeffco Stadium, Trailblazer Stadium and North Area Athletic Complex.
“I noticed it in the fourth quarter. I turned around and all that were there was the poms and cheers,” McGatlin said. “I actually went over and talked to them. That’s the first time I’ve done that in my coaching career. I told them I appreciate them being here. It’s weird, but we’ve got to play football. That’s the best part.”
The Jefferson County Public Health announced new mitigation strategies to curb the current spike of COVID-19 in Jefferson County on Thursday night. The new public health order that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, prohibits spectators at all high school sporting events, including Colorado High School Activities Association events.
“It was a new experience for sure,” Yannacito said of the empty stands. “It’s different, but at least the kids are out here and able to compete.”
Golden is back at Jeffco Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7. The Demons are scheduled to face undefeated and No. 1 Dakota Ridge (4-0, 3-0). Golden actually upset the Eagles last season in its regular-season finale to help the Demons clinch a postseason berth.
Chatfield heads to the North Area Athletic Complex to face Standley Lake (3-1, 2-1) next Saturday.
