MARCHING FORWARD

WASILLA — As team doctors attended to Colony injured quarterback Anthony Bricker at midfield, the senior’s teammates could only stand and wait through a long delay during the third quarter. And knowing his offensive leader was lost for the game, and maybe the season, all Colony head coach Brian McIntosh could do was try his best to rally his squad.

“When it happened, I gathered the kids together. I could see they were teetering and I reminded them how hard they worked,” McIntosh said. “We’ve been talking about mental toughness. I said, ‘this is your time.’”

Despite the loss of Bricker, who was lost for the season after suffering a broken collarbone on a 5-yard run, the Knights regrouped to score a 20-17 come-from-behind victory over the Wasilla Warriors at Wasilla High School on Saturday.

Senior Skye Rench, who replaced Bricker at quarterback, scored two of his three touchdowns in the second half, and senior Eddie Lee recovered a key fumble on special teams to help the Knights improve to 4-2 overall, 4-0 in Railbelt play and clinch one of the conference’s four playoff berths.

“One of their teammates went down and they responded,” McIntosh said. “It was just outstanding how they responded.”

Trailing 14-7, the Knights were forced to punt three plays after the Bricker injury. But the punt bounced off a Wasilla return man and Lee jumped on the loose ball at the Wasilla 12-yard line.

“That changed the game,” McIntosh said of the Lee recovery. “It was definitely big.”

On the next play, Rench darted into the end zone to cut the Warriors’ lead to 14-13.

Wasilla fumbled again on the first play of its next drive and senior Cache Summers recovered the ball for the Knights. Eight plays later, Rench scored a 5-yard touchdown — his third of the game — to give the Knights the 20-14 lead.

Rench, Colony’s starting tailback and leading rusher, finished with 24 carries for a game-high 117 yards and three scores. Nearly a dozen of those carries came as he was playing quarterback for the first time in his career.

Rench said he was nervous when the Colony coaches called for him to take snaps in the Knights’ shotgun set.

“I didn’t think I was going to be able to get it done, but after the first play I loosened up and I was able to get it done,” Rench said.

The Knights ran the ball for all but one play while Rench was at the helm.

“It was easier for me,” Rench said. “I know all the reads and all the plays and what the quarterback’s supposed to do. That’s what kind of helped me get through it.”

Rench said Colony’s senior-laden front was also key.

“In the second half, our line really stepped up and got it done,” Rench said. “That’s what got it done.”

After Rench gave his squad a lead with a 17-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, Wasilla quickly tied the game with a Devon Teeling score.

The junior fullback busted through the center of the Knights defense and broke away for an 80-yard touchdown.

Senior quarterback AJ Marshall connected with junior Braydon Kuiper on an 12-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter to give the Warriors the 14-7 lead.

Wasilla also threatened late in the first half. Senior David Green used one of his two catches to pull the Warriors within the red zone as the final seconds ticked off the second quarter clock. Colony senior Renn Wright sacked Marshall on the final play of the second quarter to help keep the Warriors out of the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, Wasilla kicker Paul Sliwa booted a 45-yard field goal to cut Colony’s lead to 20-17.

Teeling and Tyler Polis each nearly eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the Warriors, who dropped to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play with the loss. Teeling rushed for a team-high 94 yards on just six carries. Polis finished with 94 yards on 19 carries.

Colony 20, Wasilla 17

Friday, Wasilla High School

Second Quarter

Colony — Rench 16 run (Weihs kick) 7:25.

Wasilla —Teeling 80 run (Sliwa kick) 5:47.

Third Quarter

Wasilla — Kuiper 12 pass from Marshall (Sliwa kick) 8:25.

Colony — Rench 14 run (kick blocked) 4:38.

Fourth Quarter

Colony — Rench 6 run (Weihs kick) 11:11.

Wasilla — Sliwa 45 field goal, 5:10.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Wasilla Teeling 6-95, Polis 19-94, Marshall 2-(-12); Colony: Rench 24-117, Bricker 12-64, Monson 8-30, Wainright 2-3.

PASSING — Wasilla: Marshall 4-7-45-0, Teeling 0-1-0-0. Colony: Bricker 6-9-29-0, Rench 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING — Wasilla: Teeling 2-25, Green 2-11, Kuiper 1-12. Colony: Rench 3-21, McCann 3-8.