Knights open season with win over East

PALMER — Any time a new starting quarterback takes the field, coaches are eager to see how the athlete reacts in high-pressure situations.

Friday, Colony head coach Brian McIntosh and offensive coordinator Nathan Dahl were thrilled with the play of their new signal caller, junior Steven Bilafer, on key downs.

Bilafer, making his first career varsity start at quarterback, completed fourth-down passes on both of Colony’s touchdown drives in the second half, and led the Knights to a 23-13 nonconference win over East Anchorage at Colony High School.

In the third quarter, with the Knights facing 4th-and-14, Bilafer helped Colony break a 7-7 tie with a 39-yard touchdowns strike to Tucker Looney. In the fourth, Bilafer kept a touchdown drive alive with an 11-yard pass to Kody Nash on fourth down.

Bilafer, also the team’s punter, scampered 12 yards to convert on a fourth down four plays before he completed the fourth-down touchdown pass to Looney.

“He was clutch,” McIntosh said of Bilafer, who finished the game 6 of 13 for 73 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. “He made so few mental mistakes. He surprised Coach Dahl and myself with what he could do. He played a very good game.”

With the Knights facing fourth-and-long and the game tied at 7, Bilafer found Looney streaking down the left sideline.

“That was a great pass on that long touchdown,” Looney said. “As soon as I broke (away from the defensive back), I was like, I’ve got this.”

Senior Logan Conway rushed for 117 yards and two scores in the win, to help Colony win its 2014 season-opener. Conway rushed for 73 yards in the second half, and broke free for a 15-yard touchdown two plays after Bilafer connected with Nash on fourth down. Conway gained the bulk of his total running behind the interior of the Colony offensive line, and unit made up of center Ryan Wharry and Colony’s three-guard rotation of Asa Walling, Alex Alvarado and Austin Gilland.

“They’ve all worked really hard,” McIntosh said of his linemen.

Colony outscored East 16-6 in the final two quarters. The CHS defense stifled the T-Birds for the most part. East quarterback Clayton Washburn had 50 yards passing in the first half, but none in the second half. East had only 73 yards rushing in the final two quarters until T-Bird tailback Martin Parker broke free for a 63-yard scoring run during the final seconds of the game.

“At halftime, we said, we knew they were going to get tired, and are a fast team,” Looney said. “The defense gang-tackled. Everyone was going to the ball.”

Noah Sessom enjoyed a breakout game on defense for the Knights. Sessom finished with two sacks and a handful of tackles.

“We knew it was in him,” McIntosh said of Sessom. “He has so much talent. He just had a huge game.”

After a scoreless first quarter, East took the first lead of the game with a 5-yard Alani Collins run early in the second quarter. Colony answered on the ensuing drive with Conway’s first touchdown of the game, a 1-yard plunge.

Colony also did something Friday it failed to do in 2013, win a nonconference game. The Knights were 0-5 against teams outside the Raibelt. Colony win the conference with a 3-1 Railbelt record. McIntosh was elated to see his team open the season with a victory, a season after starting 2013 0-4.

“It’s incredible. This team’s worked really hard in the offseason,” McIntosh said. “I was very pleased with the team effort all around.”

Next week, Colony starts conference play, hosting West Valley Friday at 7 p.m. at CHS.

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

Colony 23, East 13

Friday, Colony High School

First quarter:

No scoring.

Second quarter:

East — Collins 5 run (kick good) 9:18.

Colony — Conway 1 run (Menard kick) 6:53.

Third quarter:

Colony — Bilafer 39 pass to Looney (Menard kick) 3:40.

Fourth quarter:

Colony — Conway 15 run (kick failed) 6:57.

Colony — Menard 16 field goal, 0:59.

East — Martin 63 run (run failed) 0:14.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING — East: Martin 14-145, Washburn 13-9, Atanoa 8-60, Collins 4-12, Johnson 2-0, Vea 1-(-8); Colony: Conway 27-117, Bilafer 14-52, Callahan 1-14.

PASSING — East: Washburn 8-11-0—50, Colony: Bilafer 6-13-0—73.

RECEIVING — East: Berry 4-30, Martin 2-9, Vea 1-13, Collins 1-(-2); Colony: Nash 2-20, Ruffing 2-13, Looney 1-39, Kolb 1-1.