Undefeated Colfax seeks league win at Reardan

Colfax football players will travel north Friday night to Reardan for their second round game in the NE 2B league. The Bulldogs will take a 3-0 record to Reardan after a big 45-12 win over Liberty on their home field last week.

The Liberty win followed a Colfax non-league win over Asotin, a non-league win over Coeur d’Alene in a battle and a smoke cancellation of a big non-league test at Moscow.

Friday’s home opener was a game with two chapters. The Bulldogs rolled out all 45 of their points in the first half, and then put reserve troops in the field in the second half.

Liberty, which scored one TD in the first quarter, hit their second score late in the fourth quarter to break up a second half standoff.

Colfax Coach Mike Morgan said the halftime break amounted to a sort of double notice. The starters were credited for breaking out the big win and then notified it was time to turn over the action to the reserves who have toted the practice squad burden for most of the practice sessions.

“It was payback time,” Coach Morgan explained.

The reserve troops, who were under a mandate not to blow the first-half lead, were led by sophomore quarterback Mark Webber and waged a standoff battle with the Lancers until Liberty hit their last score in the fourth quarter.

Morgan credited Webber with a solid performance, one that will pay off on the experience ledger.

He also credited Liberty with staking out the league’s unofficial “most improved” team honor. The Lancers have come a long way since last year’s rough season.

“They’re really a good team, but they’re young,” Morgan commented. He said the experience factor surfaced early on the line, where the Colfax up front veterans dominated in the first half.

“We have four senior veterans on the front line, and that experience can be a big factor.”

Colfax rolled out 22 points in the first quarter with Brady Ellis hitting Kellen McNannay on a 25-yard shot for the first Colfax TD drive after a two-week lull in the season. McNannay, who finished with 134 yards, capped the next Bulldog drive on a eight-yard run.

Liberty QB Match Burnham hit Gage Hughes on a 16-yard pass shot for the Lancers’ first quarter score.

Burnham again proved his passing talent late in the game when he hit Hughes on a 59-yard shot.

“He’s got a lot of talent, and he can go a long way if he sticks with it,” Coach Morgan commented on the Lancers’ sophomore QB.

Levi Hardy scored the third TD for the Bulldogs, and Ellis added his second TD pass when he hit Autin Getz on an 18 yarder.

Austin Corean, who was sidelined after a ground hit in the CDA game, rambled 65 yards to score on a punt return.

Coach Morgan said the Bulldogs expect a ground battle Friday night when they start the action at Reardan. Reardan will host after shutting out their Davenport neighbors 28-0 in the league round.

Reardan can be expected to run their traditional wishbone attack with Nathan Sorci in the QB slot after last year’s starter, Seth Hanson, transferred to Medical Lake. Charlie Eldred is tagged to lead the running game.

Lind/Ritzville/Sprague posted a 40-13 win over Springdale in the other NE league matchup.