Another first-round rally falls short for Knights

PALMER — Last season, during the first round of the large-schools playoffs, Colony head coach Rhett Magner watched his team face a 20-point deficit late in the third quarter against Dimond. The Knights rallied for a pair of scores, but ultimately suffered an eight-point loss to the Lynx.

Friday, as Colony hosted a first-round playoff game for the second straight year, the Knights once again faced a large deficit in the third quarter. This time, the Knights trailed West Anchorage by 21 points. And once again, Colony used another vallient effort to get back into the ball game.

But another playoff rally fell short.

Colony senior Dawson Nash scored two of his three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but West held on for a 28-21 victory over the Knights during the large-schools quarterfinals at Colony High.

“It’s a lot like last year,” Magner said after the loss.

Magner praised his players for their continued effort, even after West took the 28-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.

“We talk about mental toughness a lot. For them to keep battling, it’s a step in the right direction. It really is,” Magner said.

The Knights finished with more than 300 total yards, but were plagued by early turnovers and a rough stretch on special teams in the third quarter. Colony lost three fumbles in the first half, two inside the 20-yard line.

“Erase just one of those red zone turnovers we had, and the possibilities are a little different,” Magner said.

The Knights also had four straight punts blocked by the Eagles special teams in the third quarter. West parlayed those blocked kicks into all 12 of its third-quarter punts.

Leading 10-7, four plays following the first blocked punt, Eagles quarterback Qynton Pilcher connected with Blake Despain on a 25-yard touchdown pass. West blocked the third punt into the end zone, which led to a safety. The fourth blocked punt helped set up a 42-yard field goal by West kicker Jared Harjehausen.

While Colony was trying to notch its first quarterfinal win since 2010, defending state champion West won its seventh straight first-round game Friday.

“We knew coming in West peaks right now. This is when they are playing their best football,” Magner said.

Ultimately it was the Colony turnovers that made the difference, Manger said.

“Defensively, we had a good scheme. The defense played well. Good scheme, things were working,” Magner said.

Colony held Pilcher to 113 yards passing, and had an interception. Turek Taylor, the Cook Inlet Conference Offensive Player of the Year, was limited to 52 yards receiving.

“On offense, we had a good game plan. We just put ourselves in poor position with turnovers,” Magner said.

Nash capped his Colony career with a three-touchdown night, and 67 yards on the ground. He gave his team an early lead with an 8-yard score midway through the first. As Colony tired to rally in the fourth, Nash had touchdown runs of 5 and 12 yards. Cade Havel, another season, rushed for 104 yards.

Colony junior receiver Jon Pomrenke finished with 92 yards receiving.

Colony, the No. 2 seed from the Railbelt Conference, ends its season with a 6-3 mark. West, the Cook Inlet Conference’s No. 3 seed, improved to 6-3 and will face the winner of the Bartlett-Wasilla quarterfinal matchup next week in the semifinals.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

West Anchorage 28, Colony 21

Friday, Colony High School

First quarter:

Colony — Nash 8 run (Krozel kick) 6:27.

Second quarter:

West — Martin 4 run (Krozel kick) 5:34.

West — Harjehausen 23 field goal, 0:52.

Third quarter:

West — Martin 1 run (run failed) 7:11.

West — B. Despain 25 pass from Pilcher (kick good) 5:23.

West — Safety, 1:52.

West — Harjehausen 42 field goal, 11:34.

Fourth quarter:

Colony — Nash 5 run (Krozel kick) 8:11.

Colony — Nash 12 run (Krozel kick) 4:59.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING — West: Martin 24-119, Hughes 2-7, Bell 1-1; Colony: Havel 21-104, Kizer 20-39, Nash 16-67, C. Pead 4-8, Hessinger 3-12.

PASSING — West: Pilcher 10-22-1—13; Colony: Kizer 5-14-1—100.

RECEIVING — West: Turek 5-52, Bianchi 2-31, B. Despain 1-25, Moss 1-11, Martin 1-(-8); Colony: Pomrenke 4-92, Bailey 2-8.