Bulldogs blast Gorillas; head for Lancer Land

Colfax Bulldogs started Bi-County play with an explosion of 35 points against Davenport in the season’s first quarter at Schmuck Park Friday.

The big early lead led to a wind down of varsity action for most of the remainder of the game which ended with a 62-21 Gorilla crunch.

“We had a few breaks early in the game and that played a big part in rolling up that big lead,” Coach Mike Morgan said. He added he has been on the other side of a runaway game and knows what it feels like on the other side.

The Bulldog defense kept the clamps on the visiting Gorillas for most of the ball game. Davenport finished with 43 yards of offense, with 64 yards of passing offset by a net 17-yard loss in rushing.

Colfax finished with 331 yards of rushing on 35 runs. Senior QB Alex Teade had a 5-7-88 yard night passing with three TDs.

With the big lead, Coach Morgan shut down the air game against Davenport with Justin Berarducci and Brady Ellis working sub stints at QB.

Alvin Li topped the Colfax rushers with 142 yards in 11 carries. Li ran some big plays against a Gorilla defense which was battered by the rebuilt Colfax line.

The first quarter blitz started when Davenport fumbled the opening kickoff return. On their first home play of the season, Teade hit Berarducci at about the five-yard line. He juggled the catch over his head, wrapped it up and went into the end zone.

Tyler McNannay, who was out of sync in the kicking game last week at DeSales, booted the first of a no-miss night for a 7-0 Colfax lead.

McNannay scored the next TD after a big gain down the visitors sideline, and Berarducci scored the next TD off a 23 yard return run off an interception. Another McNannay TD and a 32-yard pass from Teade to Damon Buck closed out the first quarter at 35-0.

After that Colfax started subbing, and Davenport first-year Coach Craig McIntyre followed suit.

Davenport speed back Justin Piper scored twice for the Gorillas in the second quarter to make it 34-14 at the half. Lone other score for the G club was a 90-yard kickoff return by Travis Green in the last quarter.

Colfax cranked it down with 27 more points in the second half with the game clock going into a steady mode at the end.

Colfax finished with a 35-332 rushing mark for the game with 5-7-88 passing.

Second round of Bi-County action Friday will take the Bulldogs to Liberty to play a 2-0 Lancer club under co-coaches Kyle Kimball and Heath Voice.

The Lancers will host after posting a 59-20 win over Mary Walker of Springdale. That makes the second league game a collision between 2-0 teams. Liberty the first week nipped Tekoa/Oakesdale/Rosalia 7-6 on their home turf.

Coach Morgan noted Liberty comes out with a single wing offense, a now unique offense which can confuse opponents.

George Canning, who rolled up a 21-301 night against Springdale, will get a lot of focus on the Colfax defense charts.

Morgan notes the Liberty’s 3-5-3 defense can be tough on an opponent’s running game because players in the long middle row can move up to just behind the line before the offense snaps the ball.

That can jam eight in the defensive box which can take a toll on an opponent’s running game. Morgan noted the Bulldogs can be expected to open up a little more of their passing arsenal.