Mountain Vista Golden Eagles dominate Valor Christian 62-21, remain undefeated
Despite the noise and accolades, Austyn Modrzewski, the 6-foot-5, 203-pound star quarterback for the Mountain Vista Golden Eagles, keeps his eyes on the prize.
"We want to go undefeated; we want to win state," Modrzewski said.
The quarterback was named Gatorade Player of the Year last season after throwing for 3,675 yards and 41 touchdowns, leading the Golden Eagles to the Class 5A state quarterfinals.
Though proud, he remains grounded, knowing he has not yet achieved his ultimate goal.
On Friday, Mountain Vista earned its first-ever win against Valor Christian in blowout fashion, 62-21. The team had been 0-8 against the Valor Christian Eagles before the game.
Modrzewski compared the victory to a playoff game. He credits his success to being given the opportunity to start on varsity as a freshman.
"It feels good. We came in as freshmen just trying to change the tradition around here. Vista has never won a playoff game or anything like that, so we came in wanting to do it. So far, it looks like the culture has changed quite a bit," Modrzewski said.
Winning by more than 20 points is nothing new for the Golden Eagles, who have done so against every team they've faced this season. What's new is doing it against a powerhouse like Valor Christian.
Modrzewski has been nothing short of phenomenal all season, and Friday was no exception. He threw for 425 yards and five touchdowns, completing 88% of his passes and rushing for 30 yards and a touchdown.
The South Dakota commit is now averaging 303.8 passing yards per game.
Despite his impressive performance, it came down to a team effort. Senior running back Jack Blais was also a key player, gaining 207 total yards and scoring three touchdowns.
The Golden Eagles dominated on both sides of the ball. They forced two fumbles, giving Valor Christian little chance to recover. Carter Daniels has also been a force on defense, racking up five or more tackles in the last six games.
Quillan Gulick was essential on defense, tallying 14 tackles, defending three passes, and recording a sack.
Valor Christian didn't go down without a fight. Cash Spence continued to impress, picking up 77 receiving yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Dawson Olk threw for 276 yards and a touchdown.
Mountain Vista remains undefeated at 6-0, while Valor Christian suffered its first loss, falling to 5-1.
