Bulldogs break South Bend
Colfax did what it does.
On the fifth snap of their first possession in their State 2B quarterfinal game at Gonzaga Prep Saturday afternoon, the Bulldogs turned a short swing pass into a 50-yard touchdown.
South Bend answered four plays later with a 53-yard scoring pass.
Big mistake.
“We had our ups and downs,” Colfax senior Will Hatley said. “(The early South Bend score) kind of woke us up. We knew this team would not lay down. They’re a worthy opponent.”
Trouble is for South Bend, the Bulldogs have more bite than bark. Colfax proceeded to roll to a 37-6 win and a semifinal berth next Saturday at Kennewick’s Lampson Stadium (time TBA) against the DeSales Irish (8-3), who edged previously unbeaten La Salle 29-27. Colfax beat the Irish 33-14 on Sept. 18.
“South Bend was scrappy, but I thought we had an advantage up front,” Colfax coach Mike Morgan said. “As the game went on, you could tell that. After a while they ran out of gas.”
Actually, it didn’t take long. The Bulldogs scored on their second and third possessions and added a touchdown late to lead 23-6 at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, they added two more TDs to run their record to 11-0.
“The main thing is we play as a team,” senior Tyler McNannay said. “We saw them break down and we knew that’s what we didn’t want to do. We had to play strong and we didn’t let up.”
Stetson Steiger turned Alex Teade’s swing pass to the left flat into the first big play and McNannay kicked the extra point.
The Indians (8-4) answered when Terrell Boyes got behind the defense to haul in a long pass from David Lorton.
“We’re so used to doing that and no one coming back and hitting us in the mouth,” Morgan said. “There was no quit in South Bend. I told the defense to settle down and let the offense get a couple more in. With the way our defense has been playing, I didn’t think they would get too much more against us.”
Colfax’s next possession produced a 65-yard drive, capped when Teade found Hatley wide open in the back of the end zone. After a South Bend three-and-out, Colfax added McNannay’s booming 35-yard field goal.
The Bulldogs then fooled the Indians and recovered an onside kick, but Ty Lorton intercepted Teade on the next play. South Bend didn’t respond, with Hatley recovering a fumble and intercepting Lorton to end two possessions and then turning in a little pass over the middle into a 27-yard touchdown 1:17 before the half.
“Our line, they’re always good,” Hatley said. “The key is the line up front.”
“We came out a little slow in the first half,” right guard Tyler Morse said. “In the second half, we came out and fired off the ball.”
South Bend never threatened in the second half. Teade and Hatley hooked up on a 40-yard pass play to set up a 5-yard run by Steiger, and McNannay took a pitch around the left end for a 55-yard scoring run.
Teade finished 9 of 17 for 172 yards with two interceptions. The Bulldogs ran for 331 yards, 123 by McNannay.
“We just double-teamed well,” Morse said. “They fired off the ball, but sometimes we went the other way. It was just bad luck for them.”
South Bend was limited to 53 yards rushing and 174 yards in the air.