FINAL SCORE
Sunnyside 25, Pueblo 14
The Blue Devils (1-1) have defeated the Warriors (1-1) over the last two years after the series resumed last year after a five-year hiatus. Sunnyside prevailed 40-12 last season at home. Pueblo won the previous meeting in 2019 under former coach Brandon Sanders, who proclaimed to his team afterward they are the kings of the Southside. Sunnyside leads the series 33-12. The Blue Devils have won 25 of the last 29 games with the Warriors.
PHOTO GALLERY BY JOSIAH LOPEZ
STORYLINES
Then game can be condensed to two significant storylines:
— Sunnyside linebacker-turned-running back Aydan Tapia completely dominating with 273 yards on 32 carries with four rushing touchdowns in his first game in the offensive backfield after injuries forced him into duty.
— Sunnyside’s defense rose to the occasion four times when Pueblo was in a position to score, including two interceptions in the end zone and another pass batted away on fourth down in the end zone. Pueblo quarterback Roman Otero was also stopped at the Sunnyside 9 on a run that turned the ball over on downs less than a minute remaining in the game. Another interception in an earlier possession stopped the Warriors in Sunnyside territory.
The tone of Tapia taking over was set in Sunnyside’s first possessions of each half.
Tapia rushed nine times for 50 yards, and capped Sunnyside’s 10-play scoring drive with a 1-yard rush, in their first possession. Jesus Sierra also had a 30-yard run.
In the drive to open the third quarter, Tapia tallied 52 yards on seven carries, including a 6-yard scoring run, that put the Blue Devils ahead 19-7. The drive took almost 8 minutes off the clock with Tapia scoring with 4:16 left in the quarter.
“I was put in at running back this week with the game plan and mindset of gotta help them team out and get a big win this week,” Tapia said. “Pueblo’s not a bad team. We had to come out here and do our thing.”
The Warriors’ eight-game winning streak extending to last season was snapped.
“I think it was Wednesday, we ran power a few times and I turned to our OC (offensive coordinator) and O-line coach, and said, ‘We’re going with Tapia,'” Sunnyside coach Thomas Romack said of converting Tapia to running back. “He’s so patient. He did a good job of riding the pulling block, making the cut and making the decision.
“It’s his senior year. That’s a kid who has done everything we’ve asked all four years, so I’m going to put the game in his hands. Super proud of him. The coaches were all agreeing, ‘We’re going with Aydan.’ It was cool to see a senior get that moment.”
Sunnyside beat Southside rival Pueblo 25-14 behind the running of Aydan Tapia, who scored four TDs and rushed for 273 yards on 32 carries in his first game as a running back. The senior previously played linebacker. The Warriors’ 8-game winning streak was snapped. pic.twitter.com/QYzIQJ2VKM
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) September 5, 2026
DEVILS GET DEFENSIVE
Sunnyside’s defense settled down after Pueblo scored on the game’s opening possession, culminating with Otero completing a 34-yard pass to the electrifying Jesus Enriquez.
The first interception in the end zone was by Ismael Martinez with 5:49 left in the second quarter, preserving Sunnyside’s 13-7 lead.
The next pick in the end zone concluded the first half with Ramses Canez making the play that kept the margin 13-7 at the half.
After Tapia led Sunnyside’s scoring drive to open the third quarter, his teammate Vidal Arroyo made an interception in Sunnyside territory.
“That is a character statement,” Romack said of the defense bending but not breaking on most of Pueblo’s possessions. “That is a culture thing of it doesn’t matter where we’re at, it doesn’t matter where our backs are, just play football and make plays. That’s what our guys did.”
If there was such a thing as “Coach of the Week” it would be Sunnyside’s Thomas Romack. After injuries affected his running back situation, he and his staff tried Aydan Tapia, normally a linebacker, at running back in practice this week for the first time in the senior’s career.… pic.twitter.com/Vm3TjYPCfK
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) September 5, 2026
Sunnyside maintained its 19-7 lead after Enriquez returned an interception 94 yards to the Sunnyside 4.
The Blue Devils’ defense stuffed a run behind the line of scrimmage and forced three straight incompletions, including Sierra batting down a pass in the end zone.
Romack admired his team’s fortitude, especially after last week’s 10-7 loss at home against Vista Grande to open the season. The defense was also stout in that one but three turnovers on consecutive possessions and costly penalties were too much for the Blue Devils to overcome.
“Our kids took it personal,” Romack said. “We try not to buy into the social media hype of what people who look at a box score say, but it’s hard to ignore it in this day and age. People are saying, ‘Sunnyside’s done.’ They don’t see the game … We handled the adversity so much better tonight.
“We were put in bad spots defensively, gave them a lot of yards, but that (Pueblo) is a hell of a football team. That’s a team to watch out for.”
Sunnyside’s defense limited Pueblo’s running game to only 36 yards on 22 carries. The Warriors managed 174 yards passing but their passing game was 10 of 30 with three interceptions.
The Warriors had hope late after a blocked punt by Diego Granillo put them in position to score. A 6-yard pass form Otero to Enriquez cut the lead to 19-14 with 6:44 remaining.
Tapia again took over.
Sunnyside proceeded to drive 77 yards on seven plays, all runs by Tapia, culminating with his fourth touchdown run, a 2-yard score, that gave the Blue Devils their 25-14 margin with 2:47 remaining.
Pueblo threatened with a first-and-10 at the Sunnyside 12 with more than 1 minute remaining. But three straight incomplete passes and Otero getting stopped short of the end zone on a run ended yet another threat for the Warriors.
“It felt good coming here and getting a win,” said Tapia, who also played on defense. “I sensed them wearing down. A good ball club for Pueblo, but I came out there and did my job.”
NEXT WEEK
Sunnyside on Friday at 7 p.m. faces the daunting task of playing at Gilbert Campo Verde, which is 1-1 after its 27-0 win at Ironwood Ridge on Friday night.
Pueblo will host a 2-0 Douglas team on Thursday night at 7.
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