Colfax last quarter charge pulls out win at Davenport

Colfax Bulldogs scored in the last minute of the football game Friday for a 28-26 comeback road win over Davenport to advance their season record to 3-0 for the season. The Bulldogs stopped a fourth-quarter drive by the Gorillas on their one-yard line and then took the ball all the way down the field with sophomore QB Damian Demler throwing a 20-yard TD pass to Nick Klaveano.

The win advanced the Bulldogs record to 3-0 on the season with a long trip south this week to play Heppner.

The final drive at Davenport ended a 14-point charge for Colfax in the last quarter against the Gorillas who cranked out all of their yards on the ground. Davenport finished 0-2 passing with Colfax intercepting one of the pass attempts at a key point.

Demler started Friday’s game for Colfax after junior QB Layne Gingerich was unable to start because of injuries sustained in an accident.

Demler finished with a 12 for 18 passing night with 178 total yards.

Colfax and Davenport traded scores in the first quarter, but the host Gorillas scored three of the next four TDs in the game and had a 26-14 lead going into the last quarter.

Colfax closed the gap with Demler hitting Brandon Lustig for two TD passes to narrow the game to 22-26, but the Gorillas took the ball and ran down the clock before they were stopped on their own one-yard line.

Coach Mike Morgan credited Klaveano with making a cross-field stop to end the Gorillas’ last drive. They stalled at the one-year line and did not collect.

Colfax came back up the field on shots to Klaveano, Blake Holman and Lustig and it ended with Klaveano going up to lock in a catch with the Gorilla defender and wrestling over the ball on the way down to the turf in the end zone for the deciding score.

Overall, Morgan put a lot of credit on the Colfax line with the Bulldog front four facing the Gorillas front seven.

Klaveano finished with four catches for 71 yards and Holman booked a 4 for 91-yard night rushing.

Colfax Friday will take a long trip to Heppner to play the Mustangs in the second round of a two-year non-league booking.

Heppner’s Mustangs edged Colfax 22-20 here last year, and they are reported to be back in form in the new season.

Colfax 28-Davenport 26: 7/6 0/13 7/6 14/0. Colfax stats: 316 total yards, 12-18 for 178 passing, 24 for 138 rushing; penalties 6-45, punts: 2 for 41.5 avg., possession time 20:15, first downs 15 w/5 rushing, 8 passing, two on penalties. Rushing: Blake Holman 4-91, Jacob Brown 10-44, Gavin Hammer 2-4, Demler 1-6. Receiving: Nick Klaveano 5-71, Brandon Lustig 3-56, Matt Hockett 1-27, Holman 2-24. Tackles: Anthony Becker 7, Hammer 4, B. Lustig 6, Hockett 4, Mason Gilcrist 3, Klaveano 4.

Davenport: 392 yards, 0-2 passing, 49 for 392 rushing: penalties 3-40, punts 1-36 possession time 27:45, first downs 22 w/21 rushing, one on penalty. Rushing: Alex Plasensia 189-198, Gavin Boggs 26-168, Skyler Henry 4-6. Tackles: Mathew Boyer 4, Ethan Douse 4, Jarrett Jacobson 3.