Colfax football team lets one slip away in loss to Clear Lake

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by Marlys Kruger

Sports Correspondent

COLFAX — There was plenty of excitement in the air when the Colfax Vikings hosted the Clear Lake Warriors in the annual Homecoming game at the Lee P. Bjurquist athletic complex October 6. The stands were full of fans watching the game while elementary school cheerleaders were cheering their hearts out in the 50 degree temperature. The marching band and the dance team entertained everyone as well during halftime.

Colfax was hoping to win their first Dunn-St. Croix Conference game of the season against the Warriors who had just one conference win under their belts. With the game knotted at 19-19 at the end of the third quarter, the Vikings gave up one big play that allowed Clear Lake to pull ahead early in the fourth quarter and they couldn’t get their offense moving the rest of the game, resulting in a 26-19 loss.

After Clear Lake took the opening kickoff to their own 30, the Warriors ran and passed their way through the Viking defense. With the ball on the Colfax nine yard line and facing fourth down, the Vikings needed a big stop but Jordan Blanchard ran up the middle for a touchdown. An extra point kick made it 7-0 as the Warriors chewed up over six minutes on the clock on the drive.

Time of possession doesn’t mean everything however. After the Vikings started at their own 31, on third down Theo Hovde took a quick pitch from quarterback Drew Buchner and blasted his way around the right side for a 73-yard score. Buchner banged the extra point kick home and it was 7-7 with 4:17 left in the first quarter.

The quarter ended with the game tied but the Warriors were in the middle of another drive. They moved the ball to the Viking 18 and quarterback Blake Harris took it in for another six points. The extra point kick bounced off the goal post but it was 13-7 in the Warriors favor.

The Colfax running game was making progress with Kade Anderson and Hovde gaining positive yards, but a penalty followed by a lost fumble put the ball back in Clear Lake’s hands on the Viking’s 21. On third and goal from the 10, Caleb Arcand snared a pass from Harris for another six points. The two-point run failed due to a Warrior penalty, but with 4:41 left in the half it was 19-7 for Clear Lake.

Colfax failed to pick up a first down on their next drive and punted the ball away.

The defense began to fire up as Camron Molina burst through the line and nailed the Warrior runner with a three-yard loss, Hovde broke up a long pass attempt and the rest of the defense forced Harris into several passes that were off the mark and the half ended with Colfax down 19-7.

As I mentioned before, time of possession doesn’t always account for scoring. After the long halftime break, Hovde took a bouncy ball on the kickoff and flew down the middle of the field for a 72-yard touchdown run. The kick was missed but it was 19-13 with just 14 seconds taken off the clock. 

The Colfax defense once again came to life when Molina stuffed a ball carrier for no gain on Clear Lake’s next possession and Anderson came up with a big tackle to make it fourth and 12 at the Viking 28. Colton Hoffman thwarted a pass attempt and the Vikings took over at their own 34.

Hovde had a nice gain down the sideline, and a late hit call on the Warriors moved the ball to the Warrior 40. Another penalty moved it to the 35 and a quick pass to Orion Nichols brought the ball to the 15. Hoffman gained six yards, Buchner picked up a first down on a four-yard gain and Hoffman found pay dirt from four yards out. The two-yard run was halted but it was 19-19 with 5:37 left in the third quarter.

After the ensuing kickoff was taken to their own 31, the Warriors fumbled and a Viking pounced on the loose ball. The crowd was going wild as they had hopes of Colfax taking the ball in from the Warrior 35. But three running plays produced just six yards and a fourth-down pass to Nichols fell incomplete.

The Colfax defense was holding the Warriors down and after Molina once again broke through and stuffed the Warrior ball carrier for a three-yard loss, it was third and 14 from the Colfax 45. Heading into the final stanza, the Vikings seemed to be caught out of position when Harris tossed a short pass to Blanchard who twisted and turned his way through several defenders for a 55-yard touchdown. The kick was good and with just 13 seconds gone in the quarter it was 26-19 for Clear Lake.

Colfax took the kickoff to their own 33 and used up over six minutes driving the ball downfield. Hovde did a little shake and bake after snagging a Buchner pass to pick up a first down, then on second and 17, caught another Buchner pass for a first down at the Warrior 35. But the fumble bug that infected the Vikings last season made its appearance again as the Warriors recovered the loose ball on the 37 yard line with 6:16 left in the contest. 

The Warriors kept the ball on the ground and picked up three first downs before the Viking defense held, forcing a punt. Colfax took over at their own 47 with just over a minute to go. Anderson ran towards the sidelines twice to pick up a first down but an incomplete pass, a delay of game penalty on the Vikings and a tackle for a loss ended the game.

Buchner completed 3-of-5 passes for 80 yards while Hovde rushed for 81 yards on just four carries. Anderson collected 44 yards on seven attempts and Hoffman gained 21 yards on six carries. Hovde was the leading receiver with two catches for 65 yards and Nichols snared one for 15 yards. Hovde, also a defensive back, led the Vikings in tackles with 11. Buchner added eight, Anderson seven and Nichols six while Eli Ralph, Molina, Hoffman and Grant Cook all had four.

Clear Lake rushed for 212 total yards with Blanchard leading the way with 107. Harris completed 9-of-15 passes for 166 yards.

Colfax will finish its season at home this Friday night against Cadott.