Dimond ends Colony's season

PALMER — The Colony Knights have been a second-half team.

Colony surged to the Railbelt Conference title with three wins in the second-half of its eight-game season, averaging 20 second-half points during the final four games.

But Friday, Colony’s second-half effort wasn’t enough to overcome Dimond’s work during the first two quarters. The Lynx scored 24 second-quarter points, led 31-0 at halftime and held on for a 38-17 win over the Knights during the large-schools quarterfinals at Colony High School.

“Dimond’s defense had us scouted pretty well,” Colony head coach Brian McIntosh said after the loss.

Jordan Tufaga rushed for a pair of first-half touchdowns, scoring on runs of 29 and 37 yards on consecutive carries, and Jeremiah Maga tossed a first-half touchdown to help Dimond win its first playoff game since 2001. Dimond, the No. 5 seed from the Cook Inlet Conference, was also aided by a long field goal and interception returned for a touchdown during the first half.

The Dimond defense also stifled Colony’s read-option that chewed up more than 500 yards on the ground during the final two weeks of the season.

“They took everything we’ve been winning with away,” McIntosh said.

Dimond also controlled the clock during the first half, dominating time of possession. Marquez Buster caught a 20-yard Maga touchdown throw to cap a 70-yard, 7-minute drive that opened the game. Dimond was on offense for more than nine minutes of the 12-minute first quarter.

Colony tried to rally in the second half. Noah Spencer picked off a Maga pass late in the third quarter and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown to put the Knights on the scoreboard. Senior Daniel Bilafer kicked a long field goal to cut Dimond’s lead to 31-10.

Bilafer also enjoyed a career night during his final game with the Knights. Bilafer, who owns school records for catches in a season and career, hauled in a season-high nine catches and career-high 188 yards receiving and a touchdown. Bilafer ends his run as a three-year varsity starter with a school-record 127 catches. He currently leads the state with 54 grabs.

The Knights hit the scoreboard with just more than a minute left in the third when Spencer stepped up and stole a Maga pass to the flat and ran untouched 20 yards for the score. Colony opted for the onside on the ensuing kick and recovered. Four plays later, Bilafer nailed a 29-yard field goal.

In the fourth, Bilafer capped a 14-play, 64-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown catch, his eighth of the season.

The loss caps a rollercoaster season filled with peaks and valleys for the Knights. Colony started the season 0-4, and was 1-5 before scoring key wins over Palmer and West Valley. The Knights were 0-4 in nonconference play, losing to four playoff teams (Service, Soldotna, Juneau and North Pole), but finished 3-1 in conference to win the Railbelt. Six of the eight teams Colony played during the regular season advanced to the playoffs.

“I was just telling the guys, I have never been a part of a team, nor seen a team that has gone through so much, and accomplished so much,” McIntosh said. “There are no words for what I feel about this group. They exceed so many expectations.”

Contact Jeremiah Bartz at 352-2273 or sports@frontiersman.com.

Dimond 38, Colony 17

Friday, Colony High School

First quarter:

Dimond — Buster 20 pass from Maga (Sedor kick) 5:15.

Second quarter:

Dimond — Tufaga 29 run (Sedor kick) 11:02.

Dimond — Tufaga 37 run (Sedor kick) 6:29.

Dimond — Sedor 36 field goal, 3:49.

Dimond — Savaiinaea 15 interception return (Sedor kick), 0:23.

Third quarter:

Colony — Spencer 20 interception return (D. Bilafer kick) 3:36.

Colony — D. Bilafer 29 field goal, 2:45.

Fourth quarter:

Dimond — Tufaga 14 run (Sedor kick) 9:16.

Colony — D. Bilafer 8 pass from Niver (D. Bilafer kick) 5:28.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING — Dimond: Tufaga 9-80, Vasai 8-60, Coleman 5-23, Maga 4-(-26), Bratcher 4-10, Schell 3-8; Colony: Niver 12-47, Conway 10-49, Harvey 1-10.

PASSING — Dimond: Maga 12-18-1—188; Colony: Niver 14-37-1—237; S. Bilafer 1-1-0—3.

RECEIVING — Dimond: Buster 4-44, Zavala 2-26, Tufaga 2-8, Schell 1-35, Coleman 1-28, Vasai 1-28, Parker 1-19; Receiving: D. Bilafer 9-188, Harvey 2-35, S. Bilafer 1-3, Basner 1-3, Looney 1-2.