Offensive gala greets 2,750 at DHS Homecoming
Despite a gut-wrenching loss to visiting Colfax, the 2,750 fans in attendance at Davis High’s Homecoming on Friday were thoroughly entertained by the 48-40 Falcon victory.
The Blue Devils and their guests used hard-nosed runs up the middle, long-distance scoring strikes and a dazzling array of variations out of so-called pistol offenses. When the smoke cleared, it was Colfax able to fire one more round.
“We just, aw man…” DHS coach Steve Smyte stopped himself in mid-sentence. Like his players, the Davis coach was trying to collect himself watching more than 1,000 yards chalked up by both schools.
Smyte had just seen his banged up brethren lose a 28-21 halftime lead as a 20-0 third-period deficit again doomed the locals. It marked the second straight week Davis has been blasted after haltime. During the past three weeks, the Devils have been outscored 47-0 in the quarter.
“Defensively, we just didn’t stop them. That happens, I guess,” Smyte continued after collecting his thoughts immediately after the game. “We felt like we had to score everytime we had the ball just to keep pace.”
That assessment was spot on.
Despite taking the opening kickoff, Davis coughed the ball up on its first play. The result was a 15-yard Hunter Perez touchdown with the game only 18 seconds old.
A see-saw first half saw Davis answer when Adam King returned the ensuing kickoff 64 yards, setting up a four-play, 25-yard drive — capped by Winfred Roberson’s 6-yard run.
When tackle Francisco Leon-Gomez flexed his muscles on consecutive stops of Perez, Colfax was forced to punt.
The first fireworks of the night hinted at what was to come.
On second down from his own 21, Blue Devil QB Shayne Reagan used a slick pass-action fake. As a Colfax defender bit on wideout C.K. Hicks’ first move, the sophomore turned upfield — beating his man by 10 yards. When Reagan hit Hicks in stride, the Devils had a 79-yard score and a 13-7 lead.
Defense was a scarce luxury on this night. The Falcons instantly went on a 56-yard, 10-play scoring drive with Perez catching a 6-yard TD pass from Austin Young.
Davis returned the favor, embarking on a 68-yard, seven-play journey that culminated with Roberson’s 1-yard score. When Reagan ran the conversion in, the Devils led, 21-14.
Halfway through the DHS drive, the first quarter mercifully ended and fans, coaches and players alike caught their collective breath.
Each team scored in the second period (Colfax on a 78-yard pass to David Mowbray and Davis on another Roberson run, this time four yards) and the teams went to get oxygen with the Devils up by seven.
That Devil nightmare of a third period saw Perez score three times thanks to two short runs and a 35-yard screen pass.
Still, Davis wasn’t quite done.
In the final period, Roberson scored his fourth touchdown (from 10 yards out) and Reagan got terrific protection, enabling Grant Dickerson to come open on a crossing pattern for a 12-yard TD.
But sandwiched between those efforts was Sam Quinlan’s 61-yard bomb from You Know Who (Young).
In the game’s waning moments, the Blue Devils and Reagan were still on the march, but a fourth-down scramble fell short and Colfax took over on a meaningless fumble.
On the night, anyone with a football in his hands looked like a Hall of Famer.
Reagan completed 19-of-33 pass for 306 yards and two TDs. Roberson was the Davis lead pony, gaining 165 yards in a herculean workload of 37 carries. He also caught three passes for 31 yards and scored four touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Falcon signal-caller Young amassed 305 yards passing on only nine completions. Four of the senior’s tosses went for scores.
Perez, coming off a 204-yard game in a win over Union Mine, went for 146 and three ground payoffs. He also caught a 35-yard screen pass for another TD.
And the wide receivers?
Hicks had four catches for 108 yards and the long-distance call. Grant Dickerson caught five passes for 75 yards and the score and Willie Hawkins had five receptions for 66 yards.
Colfax’s David Mowbray was a mystery to the DHS secondary. His four grabs were good for 167 yards and that 78-yarder.
Roberson has 642 blue-collar yards rushing as Davis is now 2-2. The 5-8, 185-pounder has scored eight touchdowns.
Davis’ QB has 845 yards through the air, including 10 scores and only two interceptions.
Colfax (4-0) next meets Wheatland (4-0) while Davis gets a much-needed bye.
“We’re going to watch the film Monday,” Smyte told his team. “We’re going to go through every frame and we’re going to be a better team for it.”
Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=85132
Posted by Bruce Gallaudet
on Sep 24 2011.
Last Login: Tue 22 May 2012 11:46:20 PM PDT
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