Asotin again puts brakes on Bulldogs

Quarterback Caleb Brown carries the ball for a short gain while Jared Thompson (No. 60) and Jon Klaveano provide escort in a season-ending loss at Asotin.

Colfax football season Friday night ended where it did a year earlier, along the banks of the Snake River at Asotin where the Panthers topped the Bulldogs 43-20 with a point explosion in the fourth quarter. The win sends the Panthers to the state 2B playoffs this weekend and wraps up the Colfax season with a 6-4 record.

Colfax coach Mike Morgan noted the 6-4 finish marked an improvement over last year's 4-6 run. Colfax posted the win-loss record in a league which was loaded with senior talent on the leading teams.

The win by Asotin was one of three pegged by the NE league's big three finishers, the teams which finished on top of the league with matching 8-1 records.

Liberty dropped Kettle Falls 48-20, and Northwest Christian blanked Reardan 28-0 to advance to the state bracket.

The first state round will match Asotin against Tonasket, Liberty against Kittitas and Northwest Christian against Lake Roosevelt.

The Asotin and NWC games are booked in adjoining brackets which means the two NE contenders would collide in the quarter-final round if they win this week.

Liberty's bracket is on the same half of the playoff chart which means two NE teams could collide in the state semi-final round in two weeks.

Coach Morgan said the Bulldogs had a solid start Friday night at Asotin, but the Panthers really put their game together in the third quarter for the big win.

"I think it was a case of their talent finally coming to the surface," Morgan said.

He credited Asotin QB Blake Magnuson with leading his crew to the playoff win. The Asotin senior hit 5-12 passing for 91 yards and had 97 yards rushing.

Jake Dilling led Asotin rushing with nine carries for 194 yards.

Morgan also noted the Panthers' defense, which had problems stopping the Colfax option offense for most of the first half, gradually adjusted.

"They just cut down on the number of things we go do in the second half," Morgan said.

Asotin's fourth-quarter scoring explosion led to total offense of 504 yards compared to 186 by the Bulldogs.

Colfax scored first after recovering the kickoff with Blake Bodey booking the TD after the Bulldogs moved the ball with their option game.

Leading 6-0, the Bulldogs stopped Asotin three-and-out on their first possession.

That led to an Asotin timeout, and Panther coach Jim Holman called a midfield huddle for a little verbalization.

Asotin then took a lead with a score and an extra-point kick and scored again in the middle of the second quarter.

Colfax kept within range when freshman Matthew Neu took the next kickoff and rattled 89 yards for a score. The Colfax attempt for a two-point conversion failed, and the Bulldogs trailed 12-14.

Asotin stretched its lead to 10 points, 22-12, when senior QB Magnuson hit Hunter Landrus on a 43-yard pass, and Magnuson added another two points.

Colfax remained in contention when the two teams battled to a standoff in the third quarter. Colfax defense had some great plays on defense with Jon Klaveano making a feature stop on an attempted reverse by the Panthers.

Dane Hall, who finished with 71 yards on 24 carries, had some of his best gains in the third quarter.

Asotin dropped the hammer with three scores during a five-minute span in the fourth quarter. Magnuson escaped for 75 yards with a minute gone in the quarter, and Dilling galloped for 80 yards and a score two minutes later. Colton Ball then ran for 80 yards with 6:19 left in the game for a 43-12 lead.

Colfax finished with 2:38 left in the quarter, and in the season, when Brett Kincaid ran for a TD and a gain for the last two points.

Colfax team stats: 186 total yards, passing 5-11 for 55 yards, rushing 53-131 yards, penalties 7-60, fumbles 1, interceptions 1, time of possession 31.28, first downs 13 with 9 rushing, 3 passing.

Asotin team stats: 504 total yards, passing 5-12 for 91 yards, rushing 26 for 413 yards, penalties 3-25 yards, time of possession 16:32, first downs 14 with 9 rushing, 4 passing.

Colfax individual stats: passing-Caleb Brown 5 -10 for 56 yards; rushing-Hall 24-71 yards, Christopher Jones 7-27, Bodey 3-18, Neu 5-9, Brown 4-13, Kincaid 1-2; receiving-Jones 3-43, Jared Kneale 1-6, Hall 1-6; tackles-Hall, Klaveano, each 4; Brown 3.