Defense, special teams lead Knights

PALMER -- The Colony Knights got a special performance from their special teams.

The Knight special teams forced two fumbles, including one on a bone-jarring hit on the opening kickoff, and kicker Mike Benson converted three field goals as Colony earned a 28-14 win over the visiting West Valley Wolfpack at Colony High School Saturday.

West Valley's Ward Dobbs held possession of the opening kickoff for mere seconds, just long enough to receive the kick cleanly and then be separated from the ball after a hit by Colony fullback/linebacker David Craig.

Craig stormed down the field, drove his helmet into the chest of Dobbs and sent the ball squirting to the ground. Knight special teamers Kyle Van Sant and Kyle Coffman were at the bottom of a pile stacked with Colony and West Valley players and the Knights earned possession.

The hit was not only a devastating blow to Dobbs, but to West Valley as the momentum immediately swung to Colony.

"It helped a bunch," Colony head coach Randy Magner said of the play. "It got me jacked up."

Following the recovery, Colony drove down to the 11-yard line where senior placekicker Mike Benson booted a 27-yard field goal to give the Knights a 3-0 lead.

Benson converted all three of his field goal attempts for the Knights, hitting from 27, 24, and 21 yards.

"He saved us," Magner said. "You hate to get down there and not get anything."

The Knight defense followed the tone set by the Colony special teams as they held Dobbs, the state's second-leading rusher going into the contest, to just 92 yards on 22 carries and picked off two Dustin Carlin passes.

"Our defense played well," Magner said. "It is the most physical we have played all year."

"In the last few games we have not been as physical as we could be," Craig said. "We stepped it up today."

Dobbs has been one of the most feared running backs in the Northern Railbelt Conference. The 6-foot, 235-pounder has the reputation of running through opponents. This season Dobbs averaged 188 yards per game and 8.2 yards per rush in West Valley's first four games.

Craig said Colony had a simple plan to defend Dobbs and the Wolfpack--gangtackling. The senior added that the Colony defensive line, led by junior defensive tackle/nose guard Dominick Bellotte, key in keeping the blocks off the Colony linebackers.

The Knight defense was also able to stop the West Valley air attack.

Carlin has been one of the state's top quarterbacks with 494 yards passing, five touchdowns and just one interception before facing the Knights.

Carlin was 3-for-12 with 42 yards passing and two interceptions against Colony.

Craig and Justin Schwartzbauer each picked off Carlin passes.

Carlin was relieved by reserve quarterback John Colbert who passed for 2-for-6 with 48 yards passing.

The Knights were led on the offensive side of the ball by junior running back Shawn Olivera who rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Schwartzbauer also had a 6-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Rhett Magner to round out the scoring.

Random ramblings … The Knights forced four turnovers in the contest, and did not surrender the ball to the West Valley defense … Olivera topped the 100-yard mark for the third time this season. Olivera now has 554 yards rushing and nine rushing touchdowns this season … Olivera is averaging nearly nine yards per carry.

North Pole 35, Wasilla 7

History was made at Veterans Memorial Field Friday night.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, history was made for the Patriots, and their head coach Buck Nystrom.

Nystrom earned win 131 to place him at the top of the career victories list in Alaska state high school football history.

North Pole senior Jason Dahlke scored four times to lead the Patriots to the win.

The victory also marked the first time North Pole has beaten a team from the Valley since joining the Northern Railbelt Conference.

Jake Wade led the Warriors with 103 yards rushing and a touchdown in the loss.

Houston 33, Sitka 0

Jake Martinson ran for 144 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Houston Hawks past Sitka 33-0 at Houston High School Friday.

The win gives Houston a 2-2 record in Greatland Conference play.