Zebras Find Perfection In Colfax
Lincoln Wards Off Colfax, 27-17; Finishes 10-0
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
COLFAX – The Lincoln Zebras’ football team shook down the thunder and woke up the echoes here Friday night.
Ending 34 years of futility, the Zebras defeated the Colfax Falcons, 27-17, to cap a 10-0 perfect regular season and in the process capture the school’s first outright football championship in over three decades.
Not since the 1975 Zebras turned the trick when they went 10-0 in winning the now defunct Pioneer League, had a Lincoln team won a sole league crown and finished the regular campaign unbeaten.
“It feels great,” said Lincoln quarterback Alex Stewart who hit on 5 of 7 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown . “We knew early on that we had something special and our chemistry was always there. This was like a playoff game for us tonight and we responded like we have all season long.”
The Zebras built a 14-0 lead after a quarter and after the hosts closed the gap to 14-10 by halftime, Lincoln broke open a close game by scoring on its first two possessions of the second half.
“The kids really did a great job tonight,” said Lincoln coach Ken Lowe who was at the reins of turning the Zebras around. “We didn’t want to share this we anybody else.”
Lincoln, with its Pioneer Valley League title and top seed, will now await its fate for the upcoming CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. The Zebras are expected to land the No. 1 seed for the 4A bracket and host a first round game next Friday. The CIF will release its brackets at approximately 5 p.m. Saturday. The brackets can be viewed at cifsjs.org.
Friday’s game took on a playoff type atmosphere has a large Lincoln following spilled over the visiting stands at Marson Stadium while the home side celebrated the Falcons’ Senior Night.
Both teams exchanged possessions to start the contest before Lincoln broke the scoring ice when Moses Stanley took a fly sweep 55 yards up the sideline for a 7-0 advantage.
Stanley, who rushed nine times for 131 yards, helped the Zebras boost their lead to 14-0 later in the opening quarter when Stewart fired a perfect strike to the Zebras wing back from 27-yards away.
But Colfax then made things interesting.
With PVL leading rusher Pat Rawlins ripping off gains of 12 and 17 yards and sophomore quarterback Austin Young finding Josh Moreno for a 21-yard pickup to the Zebras 15, the Falcons got on the scoreboard when Mackey Leal was true on a 35-yard field goal.
Colfax then capitalized by recovering a Lincoln fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the Zebras 13. Five plays later Rawlins plunged in from a yard out trimming the margin to 14-10 at intermission.
“I thought we were right there at halftime,” said Colfax coach Tony Martello. “We just didn’t take advantage in the third quarter.”
After going three and out on their first possession of the second half, the Zebras took just nine plays to cover 61 yards with fullback Tim Bevins taking a weak-side trap play and scooting 37 yards and a 20-10 Zebras lead.
The Zebras defense then stymied Colfax into another quick possession exit and Bevins capped another Lincoln drive by going over from four yards out. A 16-yard pass from Stewart to Stanley and runs of eight and seven yards were the key plays in the march that boosted the Zebras into a 27-10 lead.
Colfax then closed the gap to 27-17 when Rawlins, who gained 161 yards on 29 carries, keyed a long time consuming fourth quarter march which was capped when Mark Machholz found Moreno on a four-yard scoring pass.
Lincoln outgained the Falcons 368 to 308 with Bevins adding 62 yards on 15 carries and Alex Cowden picking up 56 more on 13 trips.
Lincoln’s offensive line play of Jesse Jeans, John Aleman, John Johnson, Jacob Tryon and Steven Gunter all did a fine job up front for the winners.
Colfax had fine defensive outings from Roger Lillie, Dan Stephens, Alex Hurley, Matt Price, Tom Baldoni and Michael Murphy. Colfax ends the regular season at 6-4 and will receive an at-large bid to the Div. 4B playoffs and most likely open in a first round game at either Modesto Christian or Central Catholic.
|
Change Location:
|
Does anyone have a video of the Colfax on-side kick in the 4th quarter? That was an amazing play and I still don't understand how possession ended up going to Lincoln. Please post here on AJ online or You Tube!
For those who missed the game Colfax scored in the fourth to close the gap to 27-17. I think there was 2:40 or something left on the clock but I'm not sure. In lining up for the kick the Colfax special team got into their customary on-side formation which is a pack that follows the kicker and the ball. But there was confusion; were there 10, 11 or 12 Colfax players on the field? Players kept running back and forth from the huddle to the sidelines while the coaches yelled at them frantically. The refs had already signaled that the kicker could proceed. Suddenly Leal kicked a little blooping shot across to the opposite side and one of the players who had appeared to be exiting the field ran along the sidelines and caught it in the air over the fifty yard line and was brought down on the Lincoln 45. There was a flag and a call that Colfax had pushed and after a referee huddle possession was given to the Zebras who then proceeded to run the clock down to just under half a minute before Colfax got possession at their own three for a futile attempt at a last-second score.
Coulda woulda shoulda but it would sure be sweet to see a video of that play!
I would love to see a video of the on side kick. Good job lincoln and good luck...Wish we would've got a better call on that on side kick! GREAT JOB COLFAX COACHING STAFF!
Congratulations Zebras! There were at least 20 people from the 1975 team last night to cheer you to success. They are still very proud of the feat they accomplished. No one can take this away from you now. There will be more there to see your playoff game. Go Zebras!
colfax didnt get the ball becuase the guy ran pass the line of scrimage before the ball got kicked off
Nice article....although...... let's not forget the ENTIRE front offensive line play, which would include Co-captain, and starting center Broc Dobbs. The offensive line would not be complete without him. Lincoln's all around play, both offensively and defensively has been solid the entire season. Good job Colfax for also making the league playoffs and thanks for an exciting game. Zebras rock the house and are ready to go all the way!!! :)
Great job Zebras..... Way to work hard all year and win with class and prove to the PVL and all of D-IV that the Zebs are not "Pretenders, But Contenders". Look forward to watching you march your way through the Playoffs and possible bring back a CIF Section crown. I will Bless you with the power of the M-O-J-O and watch you take on great teams and make your push to the top. Go get them wolves....
Mojo Fo Lyfe
If the Colfax guy was offsides on the kickioff the referees would have called offsides, and forced Colfax to rekick. The fact is the Ref's butchered the play. Colfax recovered the onside kick. The Refs called a penalty against Colfax, Lincoln declined the penalty and was awarded the ball. Colfax had possession of the ball. Either the play has to be rekicked, or the ball belongs to Colfax. The actual call was a pushoff on Colfax. On a pass play the call can be called. On a kick the only possible way that call can be made is if, Lincoln tried to make a fair catch call. That did not happen. Bottom line. The refs royally screwed up. The other bottom line? It wouldn't have mattered. Lincoln was going to win the game.
In highschool,the onside kick has to hit the ground before the kicking team can recover. It did not hit the ground, thus Lincoln got the ball
Yeah it was a royal screw up by the referees and that is not true that it doesn't matter chrishamm, it would have made the game more interesting and who knows what would've happened. Not to say Lincoln didn't diserve it, they played great. GOOD LUCK
To the people screaming about the bad call on the onside kick. It was a pentalty because the Colfax player was blocking the Lincoln player attempting to catch the ball while it was still in the air. The Lincoln player has to be able to catch the ball cleanly while the ball is in the air. Before you blogg check out the rules first because you sound ignorant.
mistymouse. they were both going for the ball. it's a free ball. the only way the lincoln player could have had free access is if that player signaled for a fair catch. that did not happen
mistymouse...screaming? I never did anything wrong in fact I stated, "Not to say Lincoln didn't diserve it, they played great. GOOD LUCK". I just thought it was a great clean play. That's all. Have a nice night
mistymouse, clean your glasses. There was no blocking by a Colfax player. Watch the video, the ball was caught in the air by the Colfax player with plenty of space between him and the nearest Lincoln player. What didn't happen was that the ball did not hit the ground prior to the Colfax player obtaining it. I didn't know the rule but have been educated on it now. Please check the rules before you blog so that you don't sound ignorant;) Great game by both teams. Good luck in the playoffs to both teams.
Was not talking about the player that caught the ball, read my post. The player that was BLOCKING the LIncoln player attempting to catch the ball is ILLEGAL. You also forgot to mention your first line so I will "Yeah it was a royal screw up by the referees and that is not true that it doesn't matter chrishamm". That sounds like screaming to me.
Man Reality that is funnny because I saw two Colfax players running on and off the field and then two Colfax players running down the sideline one cathcing the ball, the other blocking. But maybe my glasses were making me see double.
mistymouse, the video clearly shows that no Colfax players are downfield blocking. After watching it again, the Colfax player caught the ball right in front of the oncoming Lincoln player - it was real quick. Check it out if you have any acces to any film. In any event, good luck to both teams.
reality,
What video are you referring to? The one posted above only has first half highlights unless I missed something.
Thanks.
Anybody's video who was taping the game.
Well it was an exciting (though originally very confusing and frustrating) play! Crowley and Coach Baggett deserve an "Oscar" for their performances! When Crowley did recover catch the ball (and no, I was not aware of the high school rule either), I had visions of that exhilarating 22-21 win over Oakdale a couple of years ago. Who knows? This officiating crew may have been the one that screwed up back then and allowed Alex Rump's intentional downing from the shotgun position to stop the clock...rather than keeping the play alive as a fumble! But onward and upward....the Falcons have a 2nd chance and the outcome is in their hands....NO TURNOVERS GUYS....NOT ONE!