Bulldogs detonate early for blowout win over Mules

Colfax Bulldogs unloaded 29 unanswered points in the first quarter against the Wahkiakum Mules for a big start of the football season Friday afternoon in the non-league game at Liberty.

The Bulldogs posted a 35-7 lead at the end of the quarter and led 48-14 after the first half.

Wahkiakum, which blanked Colfax 14-0 in the non-league season opener last year, came out tougher in the second half and out-scored Colfax 7-6 in the third frame. Neither side scored in the last quarter, and the Bulldogs finished with a 54-21 win.

Junior QB Layne Gingerich, who finished with a 7-10 passing mark for 158-yards, hit Jacob Brown for a 48-yard TD, and Matthew Hockett for a 24-yard TD to post a 15-0 Colfax lead with 6:51 still left in the first quarter.

Gingerich was operating with the the pistol wing T offense which Coach Mike Morgan has installed this year. The advantage of the offense is its ability to freeze defenders on the first step because they can't be certain which way the ball will be going.

Morgan pointed out the long-standing Colfax option offense which had been in place for years was much more predictable for opponents to read and react.

Anthony Becker led the Colfax defense with three unassisted tackles and one sack.

Carsten Miller, now a 250-pound junior, rated most improved on the new season with his line play. Morgan said Miller at one point charged down the field to block for a punt return with Blake Holman packing the ball. Miller took out two Mules with one block and they collided with two other defenders.

Wahkiakum came alive at the start of the second half. The Mules appeared to shake off the impact of the long bus trip and a night of sleeping on a gym floor.

The Mules had graduated a lot of talent off the state qualifying team they had last year. Also, Ashden Niemeyer, a junior guard and linebacker who did a lot of damage against the Bulldogs last year as a sophomore, was sidelined for the opener with an injury.

Colfax will host Freeman Saturday at 2 p.m. for the football season home opener. Freeman Friday was rapped 44-12 by Timberlake in their season opener.

Coach Morgan notes Freeman has a lot of size on their line and are led by a QB who weighs in the 215-pound range.

Freeman last week faced a Timberlake team which runs the same pistol wing T offense that Colfax has installed. In fact, Coach Morgan studied Timberlake's game films to see how their offense operates for the team which is based in Spirit Lake.

This means the new Colfax look on offense won't be so new to Freeman's defenders who faced the same offense in their season opener.