Widefield football entered the second quarter down a pair of touchdowns. The Gladiators responded with four scores, an effort spectacular enough to spark a comeback against most teams.

But not Sand Creek.

The Glads and the Scorpions traded haymakers in an electric 59-point second quarter as Sand Creek improved to 4-0 with a 80-35 win at home on Friday.

Scorpions junior quarterback Treven Rick threw three touchdowns and rushed for two more. Star running back Ethan Mangrum added three scores, one receiving, one running and a kick return for a touchdown in the rout.

“It’s amazing having (Mangrum) back there being able to just tote the rock anywhere you want and outside we got four receivers that are dogs,” Rick said.

Sand Creek’s perfect start is the school’s best since 2013.

“It means the world for my guys and my coaches,” Scorpions coach Eric Mitchell said. “Assistant coaches don’t get enough shine. I love these guys.”

The game began and ended as a lopsided affair but Widefield fought to shift the momentum in the second quarter. The Scorpions raced out to a 14-0 lead in the opening 12 minutes on scores from receivers Miles Reddix and Terrence Clay.

After being stopped on fourth down at Sand Creek’s 15, and then seeing the Scorpions put up another score early in the second quarter, the Glads offense caught fire with quarterback Zariack Duran connecting with receiver Elijah Franks on a 64-yard score. Duran showcased his ability as he threw a 35-yard touchdown to receiver Lonnie Dorsey and another to Franks later in the quarter. He also pitched the ball to Dorsey on an option for a 20-yard score.

But for every big play, every touchdown that could have, even should have, changed the course of the game, the Scorpions answered on the ensuing drive. Mangrum with a house call on the kickoff return; Rick with a 5-yard run following a 55-yard screen pass to Mangrum; and Mangrum again, spinning past would-be tacklers and dragging defenders into the endzone on a 19-yard-run.

Sand Creek took Widefield’s best and gave it back with interest.

“Same hard-mouthed football. Come out there just run the ball, keep it going. And we showed today we can throw it a little bit too,” Rick said regarding the team’s mindset on offense.

In the third quarter, the Scorpions tightened up on defense and pressured Duran, disrupting his rhythm with the receivers.

In the waning moments of the game, the Sand Creek crowd chanted “We want 80,” and their team happily obliged.

“The kids responded just amazingly with how they came out at halftime…proud of my boys, proud of my coaches, proud of Sand Creek in general. This has just been crazy, it’s been crazy,” Mitchell said.