Roosevelt High School’s Rough Riders kicked off their 2024 season with a 28-20 victory over the Northfield Nighthawks on Saturday at Evie Dennis Stadium. The game was a tale of two halves, with Roosevelt dominating early before Northfield mounted a furious comeback in the final quarter.
Roosevelt’s Early Dominance:
Roosevelt set the tone right from the opening kickoff, as junior running back Milo Pascual, returning after missing last season with an ACL injury, electrified the crowd with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. This explosive play ignited the Rough Riders, who went on to control the first three quarters of the game. Senior running back Luc Vigil added to Roosevelt’s lead with two touchdowns, including a remarkable 55-yard dash to the end zone. Junior running back Ryder Tymkowych also contributed, scoring on a 1-yard run, capping off a dominant performance on the ground.
Roosevelt’s offensive line was a key factor in their early success, consistently winning battles in the trenches. “We bring back all of those guys from a year ago,” said Roosevelt head coach Lane Wasinger after the game. “They’re a group that we need to lean on and we’re going to lean on. They work as a unit. They’re a culture within our culture.”
Northfield’s Comeback:
Despite trailing 28-0 entering the fourth quarter, the Northfield Nighthawks refused to go quietly. They mounted an impressive comeback, scoring 20 unanswered points, that included two touchdowns receptions by Chancellor Haskins and also a 50-yard strike from Trace Debenedictis to Zavious Chineth in the final period. Their efforts put Roosevelt on the defensive, turning what had seemed like a comfortable win into a tense battle down the stretch.
Roosevelt’s Coach Wasinger acknowledged the challenge of closing out the game: “We have to walk out of here with a little bit of pride, but also humble. We had a chance to kind of dominate… and all of a sudden you’re in a football game. So that’s good for kids to learn and for us as a program to learn how to put games away.”
Looking Ahead:
Roosevelt’s victory, while impressive, revealed areas for improvement, particularly in maintaining focus and intensity throughout the game. Coach Wasinger emphasized the importance of learning from this experience: “We’ve got to finish people… We’ve got to be able to learn from our mistakes.”
As both teams look forward to their next matchups, Roosevelt will aim to build on their strong start while addressing the late-game lapses that nearly cost them the win. Northfield, on the other hand, can take pride in their resilience and use the momentum from their late surge to fuel their preparations for the coming weeks.
The season opener provided an exciting glimpse into the potential of both teams, setting the stage for what promises to be an exhilarating season in Colorado high school football.
ROOSEVELT vs. Holy Family, Fri 9/6 (home)
NORTHFIELD vs. Mesa Ridge, Fri 9/6 (away)
Denver Sports Media 
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