Malemutes upset Knights

PALMER -- The Colony Knights' season came to a close Friday night.

The Lathrop Malemutes defeated the Knights 23-13 at Colony High Field in the first round of the 4A state playoffs. Lathrop now advances to the semi-finals where they will face Chugiak next week.

The Malemutes are currently

5-4 on the season and one of the hottest teams in the state, winning their last four games. The team posted 1-7 records in each of the last two seasons. Their win over Colony was their first playoff victory since 1997.

Brock Graziadi ran and threw for touchdowns and Tremaine Sanderson rushed for 103 yards and a score in the Lathrop win.

"Lathrop is a good team and they have a great athlete at quarterback," Colony head coach Tom Lincoln said. "Our offense struggled and the turned it up. We didn't take them lightly, they are just a good team."

The Knights got out to a very early 7-0 lead before Lathrop was able to score 23 straight points.

Lathrop received the opening kickoff and fumbled three plays into their first drive of the game. Sanderson coughed up the ball on the Lathrop 19-yard line and Colony linebacker Nolan Smith recovered.

Following a three-yard David Craig run on Colony's opening offensive play, Smith scampered 16 yards for the Knight score.

After the Colony touchdown, Lathrop basically controlled the ball and the tempo of the game for the remainder of the half.

Late in the first quarter, Lathrop kicker Gabe Nicholson booted a 37-yard field goal to cut the score to 7-3.

The Malemutes opted for the onside kicker and were awarded for their trickery as Lathrop guard Justin Wornum recovered the ball on the 50-yard line.

Though the recovery did not result in an immediate score, but did begin to swing the momentum towards Lathrop.

Lathrop was forced to punt, but the Malemute defense held Colony to three plays and got the ball back in good field position.

The Malemutes then manufactured a 15-play, 49-yard drive. With Lathrop facing four-and-goal, Graziadi scored on a one-yard plunge to cap off the drive.

Lathrop went into the locker room ahead 10-7 at the half.

Lathrop's Jamel Cofey picked off a Preston Pickett pass on the opening drive of the second half. That turnover set up a 39-yard touchdown pass from Graziadi to Jake Hughes.

Hughes streaked down to the end zone on the play and Graziadi connected with the receiver as he fell across the goal line.

Following the score, Lathrop again opted for the onside kick, and again recovered.

Though it didn't result in a score, it kept the ball out of the hands of the Knight offense.

The Malemutes controlled the ball for a vast portion of the contest.

Lathrop ran 63 plays, including 47 rushes for 229 yards and completed 17 first downs.

The Knights were only able to run 44 plays and had only seven first downs.

Colony added a late touchdown to tighten the gap. Joe Reza scored on a three yard run to cut the deficit to 10.

Knight defensive back Justin Coffman picked off a Graziadi pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter preventing the Malemutes from going up three scores.

Colony recovered an onside kick of their own after the Reza touchdown, but was unable to get back in the end zone before time expired.

"Our guys didn't lay down, they didn't give up," Lincoln said. "They have done it all year. They are just that type of team, they don't quit."

News and notes … Sixteen Knights played their last game at Colony High Field, but Colony will return several starters including all-conference selections Dominic Bellotti, Rhett Magner and David Craig … After fracturing his leg just a month ago, senior captain Auggie Manelick dressed in uniform in the game. Manelick took the field in the second half, booting a pair of punts for Colony … There were three onside kicks in the contest and the kicking team recovered all three … Lathrop was penalized nine times for 80 yards in the win … The win is Lathrop's first over a Valley team in three years … Colony ends the season 5-4.