With Marquise Reese seamlessly following record-setting act, reloaded Mountain Vista is potent once again

HIGHLANDS RANCH — It took Marquise Reese approximately two minutes to prove he’s capable of replacing the most accomplished passer in CHSAA history. In Mountain Vista’s season opener against California foe Liberty on Aug. 22, the Golden Eagles blew a late lead and faced a three-point deficit in the waning moments. Then the junior QB did his best Austyn Modrzewski impression on a night when he finished with 415 passing yards and five TDs. “He was cool as a cucumber: Two-minute drive, first varsity start, goes down the length of the field and takes us in for the game-winning touchdown with like 20 seconds left,” Mountain Vista head coach Garrett Looney said. “Welcome to the big-time, man. He did what he needed to do in his first game as the starter, in the clutch, in crunch time against a really good and physical team. That drive right there showed me we’ve got another special one on our hands.” Modrzewski, now at South Dakota, set state records for career passing yards (11,911) and career TD passes (147) across a four-year career at Mountain Vista that concluded last fall. Many thought the drop-off for Mountain Vista would be steep in 2025, considering the graduation of Modrzewski and the rest of what Looney called “the best class I ever had.” But early returns suggest Mountain Vista is reloading, not rebuilding. After thumping Cherokee Trail 49-8 on Thursday at Halftime Help Stadium, the Golden Eagles are cruising at 4-0 while looking very much like the caliber of last year’s Class 5A quarterfinal team. Reese said the two years he spent as Modrzewski’s backup paid immediate dividends. Reese, who is more of a dual-threat QB than the pocket-passing Modrzewski, is aiming to throw for 3,500 yards this year while adding another 1,000 by ground. “I took a lot of mental reps behind Austyn,” Reese said. “Learning how he goes about his day, how he is on the field, his reads. That really helped me prepare for stepping into his shoes this season.” After Thursday, Reese remains the state leader in passing yards with 1,055, while junior Brooklyn Bailey also paces all classifications with 433 receiving yards. Bailey is the Golden Eagles’ version of Travis Hunter, starring at wideout and cornerback while also capable of making house calls at returner, too. The duo connected on a highlight-reel TD in the first half on Thursday that gave Mountain Vista a 21-0 second-quarter lead and opened the floodgates for the blowout. On a go route down the sideline, Reese threaded a ball between two defenders, and Bailey came down with a one-handed grab in the end zone that sent the Golden Eagles sideline into a frenzy. Reese had multiple receivers open underneath on the play, but Looney dared not complain. “That was a hell of a throw,” Looney said. “He could’ve checked down, but those are the throws he’s capable of… and the catches that (Bailey) is capable of.” Brooklyn Bailey (8) of the Mountain Vista Golden Eagles in the first half against the Cherokee Trail Cougars at Halftime Help Stadium in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post) Senior wideout Ja’Pree Jennings, senior linebacker/tight end Quillan Gulick, sophomore lineman Brice Boulton and junior linebacker/running back Hudson Modrzewski (Austyn’s younger brother) are among the other headliners for Mountain Vista. Throw in senior defensive lineman Adrian Lee, who transferred from Chaparral and was cleared to play via a bona fide move, and Mountain Vista is capable of double-digit win seasons this fall and next. “A lot of people might be surprised at the early success we’re having right now, but the people inside this program aren’t,” Looney said. “We knew we were going to be good. How good can we be? That’s to be determined. But we’ve got a really talented junior class right now, so the next couple years is looking really promising.” Looney is also the offensive coordinator for the Mountain Vista girls flag football team, which is the defending state champion. The Golden Eagles are 8-0, sit at No. 1 in the latest CHSAANow rankings, and feature Looney’s daughter, Braelynn Looney, as one of their stars. Braelynn is also the kicker for the tackle football team. Related Articles Colorado high school football scoreboard: Week 3 8 Colorado high school football games to watch in Week 3 Colorado high school football rankings, Week 3: Ralston Valley lurking after back-to-back blowouts Sophomore QB Theo Lee helps Arapahoe thump rival Heritage in Milk Jug Classic Colorado high school football: How Post Preps Top 10 teams fared in Week 2 After experiencing the elation of winning the inaugural sanctioned flag football championship in early November last year, Garrett Looney and his Golden Eagles went through heartbreak a few weeks later. Mountain Vista, considered a favorite to make a run to the championship and get a crack at powerhouse Cherry Creek, was upset by Fairview 49-45 in the quarterfinals. The barn-burner, marathon instant-classic featured a power outage that necessitated a stadium switch mid-game. Fairview scored twice in the final 2 minutes, 15 seconds, while recovering an onside kick between the TDs as Mountain Vista’s undefeated season went up in smoke. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime coaching scenario,” Looney said. “I credit Fairview — they were a really good football team, a really well-coached football team. They did the things they needed to do to beat us. I’m not going to blame a power outage, a delay — they beat us. “It was an unfortunate way to end, but I credit our kids and our staff for resetting and not letting that memory hold us back this year.” For a program that has never played in a title game, getting there remains the ultimate destination, even if Cherry Creek is still the heavy favorite while Valor Christian and Legend are widely seen as the two leading challengers. Mountain Vista’s biggest regular-season game is Oct. 3 against Valor Christian, whom the Golden Eagles handed the worst defeat in the Eagles’ storied history last fall. Minus Lee, the Golden Eagles don’t have the size up front to match any of those heavyweights, especially Cherry Creek. But Bailey is confident Mountain Vista’s up-tempo, no-huddle offense can take the team far. “To win state remains the goal,” Bailey said. “This year is our revenge season.” Braelynn Looney (30) of the Mountain Vista Golden Eagles kicks an extra point against the Cherokee Trail Cougars in the first at Halftime Help Stadium in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. Braelynn’s brother, Kade Looney (22), holds for her. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post) Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.