Bulldogs top Irish in opener at Schmuck Park field

Colfax and DeSales went at it for four quarters Friday in the grid opener at Colfax, and the outcome was unknown until the last 30 seconds of the game when Justin Berarducci picked off a DeSales pass to end a last blitz drive for the Irish.

Final score was 20-13 in favor of the Bulldogs.

“I don’t know how long DeSales wants to keep playing these games, but I’m sure in favor of keeping it going,” Colfax Coach Mike Morgan said. He added the Irish get all they can into four quarters of football and that means a big return for the pre-league foe.

Morgan believes Colfax was fortunate to come out on top in a game which could have gone either way. DeSales, fueled by the passing of junior Jeremiah Cox and the power running of senior Nick Wales, topped Colfax by more than 100 yards of offense.

The difference was in special teams play and a Colfax defense which seemed to get tougher as the game advanced.

“Two things you think about when you go into a game are turnovers and special teams,” Morgan noted.

The two teams played four quarters without a turnover until Berarducci booked his interception in the last 30 seconds.

The special teams edge for Colfax was a 75-yard kick return by Alvin Li in the second quarter and a 54-yard punt return by sophomore Austin Corean in the third quarter. Both runs stopped short of the goal line but set up Colfax TDs.

Cox and his Irish receivers started off with a passing attack that rolled up the yards last week when the Irish ripped LaSalle in their opener Friday. Colfax defense, keyed by a lot of pressure up front, managed to shut down most of the Irish air game.

DeSales went to Wales and the 205-pound senior began to advance the ball. He escaped for a 32-yard run for the first TD with 6:50 left in the half.

Colfax answered when Li gathered in the DeSales kickoff and ripped off a 75-yard return. He was stopped just short of a goal. Levi Hardy punched in the TD on the third try.

A try for two points failed, and DeSales took a 7-6 edge to the locker room at the break.

DeSales came back with more gains by Wales and scored on a nine-yard pass from Cox to Ryan Baumgart with 6:29 left in the third quarter.

Colfax answered again later in the third when Corean took a punt on the run and rambled 54 yards. Li was credited with a goal-line TD, and Berarducci passed to Dan Hart for two points and a 14-13 Colfax lead.

DeSales again moved the ball to the 10 yard line, but a too-high snap bounced the ball back 20 yards. Again the teams exchanged possessions.

Colfax took the ball with five minutes left, advanced to the 15 on a pass from Berarducci to Hart. They then scored with Jacob Altieri booking the TD on a trap play. After a failed kick attempt, Colfax had the 20-13 lead, but DeSales had the ball with 1:45 left.

Morgan said he was just trying to burn out the clock with the late fourth-quarter drive, and he didn’t relish putting the ball back in the hands of Cox and the DeSales offense.

Cox quickly hit two sideline passes to move within range of a score, and he put up an end zone bomb which looked like a TD until Berarducci picked it off.

Colfax Friday will open the NE run with a trip to Davenport where the Gorillas will be dedicating new facilities. Davenport, under the tutelage of new coach Justin Yong, again figures to run the wing-T on offense.

Morgan expects the Gorillas to use a 4-4-3 defense, a set intended to stop the run, and the Bulldogs, powered by a solid line, are expected to take a shot at it.

Davenport hosts Colfax with a 1-1 record after getting a 40-14 win over Lake Roosevelt last week. The Gorillas were hammered by Waitsburg/P-rescott 48-18 in their opener two weeks ago.

In other non-leaguers, Reardan hammered Bridgeport 48-6, Lind/Ritzville/Sprague nipped Warden 27-21, and Tekoa/Oakesdale/Rosalia blanked Liberty 84-0.