GUNNISON – For fans of methodical, grinding drives full of three yards and a cloud of dust, Montezuma-Cortez’s road victory over Gunnison may not have been its cup of tea.
For the fourth time in five outings, the Panthers leaned on big plays to break the half-century mark, piling up a full season’s worth of highlight reel plays en route to a 54-26 win on Friday to open Intermountain League play.
It was also the Panthers’ first victory over the Cowboys since 2017.
Three touchdowns of 65 yards of longer in the opening minutes put the Panthers up 19-7 in the early stages of the second quarter. The Cowboys (0-5, 0-1) responded with a fumble recovery score and a churning drive to regain the lead at 20-19. However, the Panthers (4-1, 1-0) answered with two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the opening half, seizing the momentum with a 34-20 halftime lead.
Senior quarterback Colby McMillian threw for four touchdowns, while classmate Tay Wheat scored three of the Panthers’ five first-half touchdowns.
Montezuma-Cortez leaned on its defense to produce a big stop late in the second quarter, as the scoring run extended to 22 unanswered points on Wheat’s 7-yard run five minutes into the third quarter.
With standout defensive end Aden Ray back from injury, the Panther defense stiffened in the second half, posting takeaways while not allowing a single point to the Cowboy offense after a Gunnison kickoff return closed the gap to 41-26.
McMillian’s 16-yard scamper in the first minute of the fourth quarter put the Panthers in firm control.
Montezuma-Cortez will play in its Homecoming contest at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 against Salida.
The Bears spent the majority of Friday’s game at Sargent playing from for behind, falling 30-23.
Dolores (2-4, 0-2 in Mountain League play) will have a bye week before traveling to Dove Creek for an Oct. 18 meeting at the Soper Sports Complex.
