Pine Creek faced one of the top offenses in the state in the first round of the 4A football playoffs, but the scoreboard showed otherwise.

The No. 3-seeded Eagles (9-2) pounded No. 14 Pueblo South 42-10, and did so with an impressive performance on both sides of the ball.

It started with the defense, which held a visiting Pueblo South team that averages 280 rushing yards to just 62.

“We’ve worked all season on just beating the guy in front of you, and rallying to the ball,” Pine Creek middle linebacker Zachary Leithead said. “There are only so many tackles a guy can break, and we wanted to shut down the best part of their offense. We shut them down in each element of the game.”

While the defense put up a wall, the Pine Creek offense continued to operate at a high level. The Eagles – who have averaged 38 points per game during their eight-game winning streak – had four players rush for more than 70 yards.

Freshman running back David Moore III got his offense out to a quick start, scoring on runs of 26 and 23 yards in the first quarter. He finished with 127 rushing yards, twice as many as Pueblo South’s team.

“Last game, coach told us that we weren’t playing our hardest, and we took that to heart today,” said the 5-foot-8, 160-pound Moore. “Everyone tells me I have a gift, but I really give the credit to the offensive line for opening the holes up.”

The 15-year-old dynamo provides a spark for Pine Creek’s offense that’s been missing the past few seasons. Coach Todd Miller says Moore projects to be an all-time great running back at the school.

“If he keeps working and stays hungry, he’s going to be the best we’ve ever had come through here,” Miller said. “He has a great line in front of him, and it’s hard for the defenses to see him because he’s small. But he’s very special, and God has blessed him with so much talent.”

Once Moore gave his team a 14-0 lead after one quarter, it turned into the Brock Domann show.

The senior quarterback had scoring runs of 11 and 1 yard, and also found Peter Isais for a 24-yard strike to make the lead 35-3 in the third quarter.

“This is my senior year, and every playoff game is going to seem surreal,” Domann said. “Pueblo South is a good football team, and they played hard. This was a really good first game for us to play to prepare us for the talented teams we’re going to see in the upcoming weeks.”

Domann finished with 159 passing yards and added 72 rushing, while Wyatt Wieland chipped in with 78 rushing yards, and Thomas Dantzler ran for 74, most of which came on a 67-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

“When we utilize the athletes we have, we’re unstoppable,” Domann said. “We have so many different weapons, and an amazing offensive line that gets a big push.”

This may be Moore’s first playoff experience, but he wants it all, and thinks his team is the one to beat.

“If we play with teamwork, and play Pine Creek football, we’re going to be the champions – for sure,” Moore said.