No. 10 Golden football runs past Bear Creek in league opener

LAKEWOOD — Golden running back Luc Chevalier was a fantasy football player’s dream Thursday night at Jeffco Stadium.

The senior scored four touchdowns in the Demons’ 32-21 victory over Bear Creek in both teams’ Class 4A Mountain West League opener.

“I have to give a lot of credit to my offensive linemen for sure,” Chevalier said of his four touchdown night. “We knew that had to be a big part of the game plan to run the rock.”

Chevalier had touchdown runs of 20, 24 and 7 yards all in the second quarter to open up a 19-0 lead on Bear Creek (3-3, 0-1 in 4A Mountain West). 

“We are running the football. Our o-line is doing a great job,” Golden coach Matt McDougal said after the Demons’ fifth straight victory. “We have kind of taken over games running the football and our defense is playing outstanding.”

The Bears did get a late touchdown on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Bear Creek junior quarterback JoJo Hernandez to senior Izaiah Phelps in the final minute before halftime to make it a 19-7 game at the break.

However, Golden (5-1, 1-0) grabbed the momentum back with an impressive 10, play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with Chevalier scoring on a 2-yard touchdown plunge.

“Luc is a little spark for us,” McDougal said. “When he gets going the offensive line figures out that we have a guy who can get it done when we need to.”

Golden junior quarterback Kalin Hufford went to the air for the Demons’ final score. Hufford hit junior Jack Dixon for a 56-yard touchdown pass with 4:14 left in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 32-7.

Bear Creek got a pair of touchdowns late in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Cinco Perez and 4-yard touchdown catch by AJ Sipers, but it was too little too late for the Bears to avoid their third straight loss after a 3-0 start.

“We had a good game plan and executed,” said Golden senior defensive back Jack Flambures, who had an interception in the third quarter.

 The Demons’ defense forced four turnover on the night to keep the winning streak going.

“We have preached to not give up big plays,” McDougal said of his defense. “Teams that are going to have to run a bunch of plays to get down the field eventually they will make mistakes.”

Golden — No. 10 in this week’s Class 4A Colorado Preps Select Media Football Pool — came into Thursday night’s game with an impressive 4-game winning streak. The Demons suffered a rough 36-0 shutout loss in their season opener against 3A’s No. 2 Green Mountain, but since then Golden has managed a nice winning streaking heading in 4A Mountain West League play.

“This is a huge start for league,” Flambures said. “We just have to keep building from this and get better week-after-week. Hopefully be hot going into playoffs.”

Bear Creek got off to a nice 3-0 start with dominating wins over Lakewood, Greeley West and Kennedy. However, the Bears suffered back-to-back home losses to 4A’s No. 6 Thomas Jefferson and Fruita Monument over the previous two weeks. 

The Demons stay in conference play and face Standley Lake next Friday night at the North Area Athletic Complex. The Bears have another big test against a ranked team next Thursday night at Jeffco Stadium. Bear Creek squares off against No. 8 Dakota Ridge.