Next man up: Colony gets past upset-minded Warriors

PALMER — With two of Colony’s top running backs on the sideline, it was next man up for the Colony Knights.

Junior Eric Christy rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown in the second half Friday to help Colony get past upset-minded Wasilla 18-0 at Colony High School.

“That’s basically our whole team, any position, no matter what it is,” Christy said after the Knights improved to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the Railbelt Conference with the win. “It’s next man up.”

Already without its leading rusher, senior Jon Pomrenke, who suffered an ankle injury during a win over West Anchorage last week, Colony also lost another senior running back, Martin Jones, early Friday evening. Junior fullback Kaiden Jimenez brought his typical consistency to the Knights backfield, rushing for 134 yards on 19 carries, but Chrsity helped find the end zone with a pair of key runs in the second half. With his team holding a mere 3-0 lead, Christy broke off a 29-yard run on the second offensive snap of the third quarter.

“He turned it around for us,” Colony head coach Rhett Magner said. “He kind of gave us a spark.”

Senior quarterback Parker Kizer capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to give Colony the 10-0 lead. Midway through the fourth quarter, Christy scored on a 19-yard touchdown run to extend Colony’s lead.

“The good thing about these kids, they’re willing to do anything for their teammates,” Magner said.

The plays also helped Colony rebound from a rough first half. Magner and his assistants watched four different offensive drives stall inside the red zone.

“We didn’t execute,” Magner said. “We shot ourselves in the foot.”

Early in the first, Colony used 10 plays to drive down to the 1-yard line, but Wasilla defensive lineman TJ Laumatia recovered a Colony fumble. Midway through the quarter, the Knights were at the 20, but turned the ball over on downs. Late in the first, Colony had the ball on the Wasilla 13, but had to settle for a 30-yard Noah Krozel field goal.

In the second quarter, the Knights put together a 12-play drive, and reached the 20. But after penalties, Colony was forced to send Krozel out for a 45-yard field goal attempt, which was wide left.

“We have to execute better, have to focus and not commit penalties,” Magner said.

Colony also saw a much-improved Wasilla squad, which is now 2-3 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

“Coach (Will) Stout is doing great stuff over there. They’re certainly a lot more competitive this year,” Magner said. “Hats off to them for paying their hearts out. They battled.”

Friday’s game marked Colony’s second straight shutout against Wasilla. Last year, the Knights blanked the Warriors 50-0.

“They’re not the same team as last year,” Christy said.

Stout, Wasilla’s second-year head coach, said he did see some good things.

“There’s definitely things we can build on,” Stout said.

He praised the work of his front seven on defense, particularly for the play against Colony’s potent option running game.

“They did a great job. We drilled and drilled and drilled this week on (Colony’s) option,” Stout said. “I think we did a tremendous job, minus a couple of plays. But that (Colony offense), they’re always gong to get their plays.”

While there were positives, Stout said there are certainly things to work on as the Warriors now prepare for its game at Lathrop in Week 6.

Colony forced two turnovers in the first half. Jake Hessinger recovered a fumble, and Julian McPhail picked off a pass in the end zone.

Matthew Trask led Wasilla with 46 yards on 10 carries. Milliron added 30 yards.

Kizer added 56 yards rushing for Colony.

Colony is also in Fairbanks in Week 6, for a date with West Valley.

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

Colony 18, Wasilla 0

Friday, Colony High School

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING — Wasilla: Milliron 12-30, Trask 10-46, McDermott 10-22, Helton 22, Matthews 4-15, Shogren 2-(-12); Colony: Jimenez 19-134, Kizer 15-56, Christy 8-57, Hessinger 4-22, Gamble 1-9, Jones 1-7.

PASSING — Wasilla: Milliron 6-16-1—53, Colony: Kizer 1-2-0—11.

RECEIVING — Wasilla: McDermott 4-43, Helton 2-10; Colony: Schultz 1-11.