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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Colfax’s Campbell used to drawing defenses’ attention

Chris Brown Correspondent

Colfax head football coach Mike Morgan knows where Freeman’s defense is going to turn its focus today. It won’t be an uncommon sight.

“Everyone is gunning for Josh Campbell,” Morgan said.

It’s something Campbell, a senior running back who is Colfax’s top offensive threat, knows the Bulldogs (5-3, 3-2 Northeast A) can use to their advantage when the team travels to Freeman (6-2, 4-1) in a game that will decide the NEA championship, even if he isn’t in top form.

“I take pride in knowing that if they do focus on me,” Campbell said, “or I’m not doing the best, we have other weapons like (wide receiver) Tony Starrett and others.”

You can’t blame defenses for looking first to the Bulldog backfield. Campbell has scored at least one touchdown in all but one NEA game, including five (four runs and a punt return) in a 40-14 win over Kettle Falls Oct. 21. The offensive line, depleted in a 19-6 loss to Newport last Friday, is healthy.

“Our line is doing excellent and everyone is back,” said Campbell, also the defending state wrestling champion in the 171-pound weight class. “We had two of the starting line not there (against Newport). When the line is there for it, it’s been possible (to run), but without the line it’s not possible.”

Because the line hasn’t been completely healthy, Morgan has had to find other ways to get the ball to the dangerous Campbell, who has five touchdowns of longer than 30 yards this season.

“We had to get him the ball,” Morgan said. “We had to give him the opportunity. Our offense sputtered, we had a couple linemen out like everyone at this time of year, so blocking wasn’t consistent. So he returned punts and kickoffs. The tackles he broke, those types of things – he’s a human-highlight reel at times.”

Campbell, who as a senior takes pride in leading his teammates, would love to have some highlight-reel runs against the Scotties, perhaps Colfax’s biggest rival.

“There’s a lot of desire (to win),” Campbell said. “They are our least favorite team. We practiced extremely hard and I want to be as much of a leader as possible. If someone needs help or doesn’t know what to do, I try to lead by example. We’re going to go hard and leave nothing on the field.”