Zero Week of the 2026 high school football season brought a burst of excitement to the Aurora area, where five prep programs began their campaigns with wins, and four of them improved to 1‑0.
Zero Week Highlights
Aurora Central High School opened with a 47‑0 shutout over Adams City on August 21, a performance anchored by senior quarterback Markell Perkins, who accounted for five touchdowns.
Perkins not only rushed for two scores but also connected on touchdown passes to Tayvion Simmons‑Adams, Randall Gurley and Elijah Pittman, while also recovering a fumble that sealed the Trojans' first defensive shutout since Week 5 of the 2025 season.
Grandview High School followed with a 36‑0 blanking of Riverdale Ridge on August 22, where junior quarterback Lander Wise directed the offense and added a rushing touchdown.
Eaglecrest High School rolled past Rocky Mountain 36‑0, limiting the opponent to just 54 yards of total offense; junior quarterback William Brinkman threw for 233 yards and three scores.
Gateway High School earned its first season‑opening victory since 2017, defeating Liberty 23‑13; senior running back Lyric Wynn powered the win with three rushing touchdowns.
Vista PEAK Prep, however, saw its opener cut short by a lightning delay, ultimately falling 45‑7 to Northfield.
The collective results painted Zero Week as a net positive for Aurora‑area football, marking a clear improvement over the previous season’s early outcomes.