AURORA | Zero Week was definitely a net positive for Aurora area teams.

Five local prep football squads were among those that got into regular season action a week before the entire state begins and four of them got off to 1-0 starts.

Aurora Central, Eaglecrest, Gateway and Grandview got out many of the opening day mistakes and adversity and came out on top and hopefully set a tone for their respective seasons. Last season, area teams finished just 1-2 in Zero Week, with the lone winning coming from Grandview in a head-to-head with Vista PEAK Prep.

Full Aurora results and highlights for Aurora teams in Zero Week, here

In terms of tone, there was none better than the one Aurora Central got from senior quarterback Markell Perkins Aug. 21 at Aurora Public Schools Stadium. On the first offensive play from scrimmage for the Trojans in their contest with Adams City, Perkins dropped back, scrambled to his right and broke upfield, where he broke a tackle at the 43-yard line and raced to the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown.

It was the first of a whopping five touchdowns that involved Perkins for coach Chris Kelly’s Aurora Central team in a 47-0 shutout victory. Perkins rushed for two scores (he bookended the game with a 50-yard scoring scamper) and threw touchdown passes to seniors Tayvion Simmons-Adams and Randall Gurley along with junior Elijah Pittman, while senior Julian Harris and junior Antonio Lumba also got into the end zone.

Perkins also had a fumble recovery and helped the Trojans to their first defensive shutout since Week 5 of the 2025 season.

Grandview and Eaglecrest also won their respective openers in shutout fashion Aug. 22.

The Wolves went on the road to face Riverdale Ridge, which was coming off an 11-1 season in 2025 before moving up from Class 4A to 5A.

Coach Tom Doherty’s Grandview team welcomed the Ravens to the new classification by dealing them their first shutout since Week 5 of the 2022 season — a span of 39 games — and rolling to a 36-0 victory.

In his debut as starting quarterback, junior Lander Wise accounted for 167 yards of total offense, rushed for a touchdown and threw one to junior Blake Richmeier. Senior Matthew Schimberg scored a rushing touchdown as well for Grandview, which racked up 18 points with its play on special teams as well.

The Wolves easily converted a pair of two-point conversions in the opening half (which followed Schimberg’s touchdown and Wise scrambling score with just 7.1 seconds left before halftime), while the second half included a touchdown from senior Taitum Lucas Thompson — who recovered his own punt block in the end zone — as well as one via a 59-yard punt return from senior Zach Johnston.

Eaglecrest smothered Rocky Mountain defensively at Legacy Stadium, as it yielded just 54 yards of total offense in a 36-0 victory.

Coach Jesse German’s team piled 350-plus yards of its own on the other side of the ball, as junior William Brinkman began his second year as the starting quarterback with a total of 233 yards (186 passing, 47 rushing) and three scores.

Brinkman took it into the end zone himself twice and also connected with senior JayAnthony Green on a 60-yard touchdown strike, while junior Clyde Surrell IV rushed for 82 yards (plus 43 through the air) and another score. Senior Josiah Assibey also found the end zone on the round for Eaglecrest.

Senior Cy White made an impact on both sides of the ball for the Raptors with a total of 85 yards from scrimmage along with an interception.

Gateway won its season opener for the first time since way back in 2017 when it came away from an Aug. 22 visit to District 20 Stadium in Colorado Springs with a 23-13 victory over Liberty.

Senior Lyric Wynn rushed for three touchdowns — half of his entire total for the 2025 season — in the opening half to give coach Rashad Mason’s Olys all the offense it needed.

Gateway also scored in the second half via a safety.

The lone Zero Week loss among local teams went to Vista PEAK Prep.

Coach Kyle Reese’s Bison were plagued by turnovers and Northfield rush for just shy of 300 yards and also score on special teams in a 45-7 win at All-City Stadium. The game was delayed significantly at the start by lightning.

Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at [email protected]. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports

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