Coach in a blue polo with a headset walking along the sideline as players in white uniforms stand behind him on the football field at night. — Head coach Louis Kelley III and the Boys Ranch Roughriders are 6-0 for the first time in school history. [Jamie Gates/ For Press Pass Sports]

WILDORADO – Going undefeated through the non-district. Check.

Opening district with a statement win. Check.

Setting a new benchmark for the best start in school history. Check.

The Boys Ranch Roughriders are knocking off goals by the week, and set quite the feat Thursday night during an 82-24 blistering of Wildorado in a District 1-1A Division I opener at Mustangs Stadium.

The Roughriders not only stayed unbeaten but are off to their best start in school history thanks to a 6-0 mark on the season.

While being 6-0 and 1-0 in league play is all well and good, Boys Ranch head coach Louis Kelley III says his team is on a mission with much more to accomplish.

“We’re coming for it all,” Kelley III said. “We’re ready for Booker, Claude, and White Deer. We’re going to take it. That’s one thing I preach to them. We’re going to take the district championship.”

White-uniform running back with the ball dodges blue defenders on a grassy field as bleachers and spectators loom in the background at sunset. — Mi’kaiel Cooper of Boys Ranch avoids a Wildorado defender during a District 1-1A Division I game at Mustangs Stadium on Thursday night. [Jamie Gates/ For Press Pass Sports]

The confidence is a product of years of work. A program unfamiliar to winning over decades with only three winning seasons in the 21st century is steadily developed under Kelley III, now in his fourth year at Boys Ranch. The Roughriders have gone 15-22 during his tenure, but their current start represents a new high-water mark for a team that has spent years trying to establish itself among the district’s contenders.

Boys Ranch made the playoffs in Kelley’s first season in 2023, marking just the second postseason appearance in school history. The program transitioned from 11-man football to Six-Man in 2024, beginning another chapter in its development.

Last season, the Roughriders opened 5-0 before finishing third in district. That experience left the team with unfinished business, and Kelley III believes the difference this fall is the time his players have spent learning his system and learning how to win together.

“Taking the job at Boys Ranch, they said you can’t have a winning coach or you can’t build a team,” Kelley said. “I have a great staff with coach (Tory) Peet and coach (James) Layman that we are building up to change things.”

Kelley III said this year’s team is the most complete he has coached at Boys Ranch, pointing to the players familiarity with one another, and their understanding of the system and their ability to handle tough situations.

“They’ve spent four years with me,” Kelley III said. “They understand the system, they know each other, and we know how to handle our situations.”

A major addition to the program this season has been defensive coordinator Tory Peet, whose arrival has helped give the Roughriders a different edge on the defensive side of the ball.

“Defensively, our guys want to attack,” Peet said. “I coached against these guys in a couple of scrimmages last year, and defense wasn’t something they wanted to do. But now this year, we take pride in it. We want to be one of the best defenses.”

Two football players in white uniforms with blue and gold trim stand with a coach in a blue polo on a grassy field at night, discussing strategy. — Head coach Louis Kelley III talk to his players during a game against Wildorado on Thursday. [Jamie Gates/ For Press Pass Sports]

The change has been evident in a defense that is no longer satisfied with simply getting stops. This season, he has watched the players develop a sense of pride in their work and a willingness to attack.

The results have backed up that change in attitude. Boys Ranch forced 17 turnovers through its first four games, and Peet said the defense had even outscored opponents in a couple of games this season.

“This game against Wildorado was the first time our defense hadn’t scored this year,” Peet said. “In fact, a couple of games we outscored the other team.”

For Peet, the potential comes from more than the team’s athletic ability. He has seen players become more unselfish, buy into the coaching staff’s expectations and put the team’s success ahead of individual accomplishments.

“We’re surrounded by athletes,” Peet said. “And when you’re surrounded by athletes, and they’re athletes that are becoming unselfish, they want to do what’s best for the team, the sky’s the limit.”

That unselfishness, paired with the Roughriders’ athleticism, has helped Boys Ranch become complete. In previous seasons, the offense often relied heavily on its passing game, but this year’s group has shown it can hurt opponents through on the ground as well as through the air, giving defenses another dimension to prepare for.

Boys Ranch showcased that versatility in Thursday’s lopsided win at Wildorado (3-4, 0-1) in the District 1-1A Division I opener.

Quarterback Isaac Acosta completed 7-of-11 passes for 175 yards with three touchdowns, connecting with wide out Cord’e Jackson for scores of 31 and 70 yards. On the ground, Jacobe Gonzales rushed for 118 yards and four touchdowns on just four carries, adding a 19-yard touchdown reception and a 47-yard kickoff return for another score.

The ability to strike quickly through the air while maintaining a physical ground game gives the Roughriders another dimension as they pursue their first district championship under Kelly.

“We’re showing teams that we can run the ball,” Kelley III said. “We’re going to run the ball, and I’m fortunate enough to have an offensive lineman group I can put in where we can run the ball and get physical.”

The focus now turns toward a district race that Kelley III believes his team is equipped to win. Last season’s 5-0 start proved the Roughriders could put together a strong opening stretch, but the finish left them short of their ultimate goal. This time, they want to carry their momentum all the way through district play.

Football player in white-and-blue uniform runs with the ball toward the end zone, near an orange pylon on a grassy field as a referee watches nearby. — Boys Ranch quarterback Isaac Acosta strolls in for a touchdown against Wildorado on Thursday. [Jamie Gates/ For Press Pass Sports]

For Kelley III, the meaning of Boys Ranch extends beyond the scoreboard. Coaching at the school has shaped his perspective on the responsibility that comes with leading young men, many of whom need a coach to be more than a voice on the sideline.

“Boys Ranch, these kids, and just my time being at Boys Ranch, it has taught me patience and how to love,” Kelley III said. “It’s bigger than football and X’s and O’s. You have to step up and be here for these kids as a coach, a mentor. I take great pride in it.”

That investment is now producing a season unlike any in Boys Ranch history. The Roughriders have already surpassed the program’s previous benchmark for an undefeated start, and their combination of experience, a prolific offense paired with a defense that thrives on creating chaos has them believing there is more ahead.