Colony wins Valley showdown

PALMER --At Colony High School Friday night, Aug. 29 could have been easily mistaken for Sept. 29.

With a wind that chilled, leaves that were beginning to turn gold and the Wasilla and Colony football teams taking the field, the atmosphere was much like a late September Friday night.

Behind the running of juniors Rhett Magner and Shawn Olivera, the Colony Knights notched a 35-21 victory over the visiting Warriors.

Magner sparked the Knights to victory with an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second half, and Olivera rushed for 156 yards on 16 carries with three touchdowns to help the Knights win the early season Valley showdown.

Colony and Wasilla, who normally meet in the final two weeks of the season, were victims of a scheduling blunder and paired together for a week four showdown.

The Knights jumped out to an early 21-7 lead in the contest, but Wasilla cut the lead to just a touchdown by the beginning of the fourth quarter.

With just a seven-point lead early in the fourth quarter, the Colony defense held the comeback-happy Warriors to zero positive yards on a three-play drive and Magner returned the ensuing Warrior punt 81 yards for the score to give Colony a commanding 28-14 advantage.

"The coaches said 'Rhett, when it comes to crunch time you got to make a play'," Magner said. "I saw the opening and I took off."

Magner took the rolling punt, exploded through a wall of Colony and Wasilla players and bolted nearly untouched to the end zone.

Though it was Magner's return that gave the Knights the two-touchdown cushion, it was Olivera's legs that the Knights rode to victory.

The junior running back needed just three runs to drive the Knights 64 yards for the opening score. Olivera posted runs of 6 and 30 yards before taking off the left side for a 26-yard touchdown romp just 65 seconds into the first quarter.

Olivera ended the game, just as he started it.

As the Knights were burning time off the clock in the fourth quarter, Olivera sped off tackle on the left side of the Colony line for a 30-yard touchdown run.

Olivera also added a 14-yard scoring run late in the first quarter.

Colony put up quick numbers, but Wasilla did not stay far behind.

Jed Wade capped off an eight-play, 67-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to tie the game at 7-7.

Ricky Cunningham scored for Wasilla on a 2-yard run early in the second half to cut the Colony advantage to 21-14.

Cunningham scored again, from a yard out, midway through the fourth quarter in another Warrior comeback bid.

Random ramblings … Colony rushed for 356 yards in the contest and Wasilla rushed for 187 … Jake Wade led the Warriors with 73 yards on 18 carries … Jed Wade added 61 yards … Colony lost two fumbles in the contest, while Wasilla lost one … Each team had an interception … Colony had 17 first downs and Wasilla had 13.