Sand Creek’s sting in 2025 is noticeably more potent than previous seasons.

The Scorpions marched to Memorial Stadium on Friday wanting to avenge their loss to Harrison from 2024 and did so in dominant fashion with a 40-21 victory.

After a 55-13 romp against 5A Denver East in the opener, this marks the second time in as many games the Scorpions scored at least 40 points and Sand Creek owns a 2-0 record for the first time since 2020.

“We’re on a revenge tour,” Sand Creek coach Eric Mitchell said. “We have a chip on our shoulders. We’re wanting to dominate everyone in front of us and we know these teams are tough, but we’re locked in right now.”

The Scorpions beat the Panthers for the first time in five meetings. In 2024, Harrison scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to win 14-13 despite giving up 292 rushing yards on 46 carries to the Scorpions.

This time Sand Creek ran more more than 350 yards, including 234 on 26 carries in the first half.

Treven Rick, Achilles Evans and Ethan Mangrum each had two rushing touchdowns. Evans led that first half charge and, after a 70-yard scamper with 7:55 left in the second quarter, put the Scorpions up 14-0 and ended the half with six carries for 114 yards.

The Scorpions feasted on the right side of the field, where they had four runs of 30-plus yards.

“Last season we did well, but we felt we could have done better,” offensive lineman Wyatt Spanjers said. “We’ve been working since January trying to get back. We’ve had bad blood running through our veins and we want to get back at everybody.”

Preston Arretteig, another member of Sand Creek’s bulky offensive line, credited the coaches for how they continue to push players in practice to remain sharp for games. Arretteig also reiterated Mitchell’s mindset of this year being a revenge tour.

“We have to come out here and play smashmouth football,” Arretteig said. “That’s what we do and we want to continue winning and keep, as we like to say, ‘punching people in the mouth.’”

The punches came in bunches as Sand Creek took a 26-0 lead into the half followed by two touchdown runs in the third by Rick. Harrison (0-1) first scored on its opening drive of the third on a 1-yard run from Dashaun Reed.

Sand Creek’s lead was 40-7 before Jeilo Hamenyimana found Jaiden Palmer on a 3-yard reception late in the third. Phillip Pogue scored on the game’s final play to make it 40-21.

After rushing for 107 yards in the first half, Mangrum now has 10 consecutive games with 100-plus rushing yards. The Scorpions host Air Academy next week, and the Sand Creek junior finished with 171 yards last season against the Kadets. Mangrum wants that success to continue and for the Scorpions to build their record to 3-0.

“We want more and we came to get it,” Mangrum said. “Our O-line played lights out tonight and we move as they move. We have to keep that up to have a successful year.”