Opening night smash

The first game of the 2008 Arizona Western College football season ended the same way it started: In the end zone, in wide receiver Bryce Burnett's hands.

And as long as head coach Tom Minnick remains on the Matador sidelines, Saturday night's first and final plays may be just a hint of things to come in the near and distant future.

The spread offense Minnick promised to deliver only came out in bits and pieces in AWC's season opener, but the Matadors still used the running and passing game to steamroll American Sports University 54-0 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

"It's kind of misleading," Minnick said of the game. "It's great to get a win and get things going, but I'd rather play Snow (College) 11 times and lose 11 times because you to play a competitive game. This isn't fun."

Facing an ASU team in its first year of existence and with only 33 players suited up, Burnett burned the Eagles downfield to catch a touchdown pass from each of the AWC quarterbacks who played on Saturday. Brandon Gorsuch got the start for the Matadors and fired a strike for a 63-yard score on the first play from scrimmage. Gorsuch's competition, Bryann Mann, directed the offense on the Matadors' final possession and tossed a 16-yard pass to Burnett in the corner of the end zone as time ran out.

"Bryann did a good job out there tonight, and we'll probably be battling for playing time the whole season," Gorsuch said.

Gorsuch ran for two touchdowns and led the team to four scores in the first quarter before Mann took over to start the second, and the two split time in the second half as well. Mann had more passing attempts (17 to five) and a second TD toss to Jerell McDaniel, but he also had two interceptions.

"I know what I've got with both my quarterbacks, and I'll probably keep playing both of them," Minnick said. "We kept it very basic tonight."

The Matadors led 20-0 less than five minutes into the game with a passing touchdown (Burnett), an interception ran back for a score by Jacob Barit, and a 15-yard dash from Gorsuch after a fumble recovery.

The onslaught continued through the first quarter as Terry Cotton ripped off of 50-yard scoring run, He would score again on the second play of the fourth quarter and finish with 160 yards on eight carries.

American Sports University finished with less than 100 yards of total offense in the first half and didn't fare much better in the second as AWC's defense had no trouble figuring out the Eagles' double wing offense. ASU's thought it found some life when Kendrick Harris broke free for 85 yards to the end zone in the second quarter, but the play was called back on a holding penalty.

The yellow penalty flags hit the field more and more for both teams as AWC's points grew higher and higher on Saturday, including a handful of personal fouls.

"We'll pick out the little things, but I brought guys with me that will hit you," Minnick said. "Sometimes when you're going up against a team that doesn't want to get hit they look a little harder, but it was a well officiated game."

AWC won't have to wait to play Snow in two weeks to line up against a tough team with a road trip to Thatcher and Eastern Arizona up next.