Bulldogs roll to Asotin for first full grid turn

Colfax Bulldogs will hit the road south Friday to open their regular season against the Asotin Panthers.

The Bulldogs will make the road trip after rolling to Lind last Friday to play in the annual grid jamboree.

The jamboree has become a sort of pre-season testing ground for the Colfax football squad, and it became more so Friday when Colfax tried out its new pistol offense.

The pistol, which is a center running back set, replaced the option offense which the Bulldogs have used during the 16 years Coach Mike Morgan has been at the helm.

Colfax opened the jamboree at Lind by introducing its new offense against the Broncos, the defending state champions.

“They played like the defending state champions,” Morgan commented. “They just got after us.”

He noted Colfax goes into the jamboree with a script of plays they want to run. The plays are called regardless of the down and yardage.

Jamboree entrants get 10 plays with a start at the 40-yard line.

Coach Morgan’s report from last week’s Lind adventure is a prediction that the Broncos and Reardan could again top the NE league race. Colfax will face both of the contenders at the end of the league’s run.

He noted the young Colfax team’s game dates for this month allow for a little time to log experience.

Friday’s opener at Asotin will put the Bulldogs up against a Panther team which will attempt to bounce back from a 1-8 season last year.

Asotin Coach Sal Lopez has Erik Loseth back as a senior QB for the club this year. Loseth was at the helm for the Panthers two years ago when they collided with Colfax in the crossover round. Running back Ryan Schaefer and receivers Neil Landrus and Michael Martinez are also back as receivers this year.

The Panthers will host the Bulldogs after scratching out a 14-6 overtime win on a long trip to McCall. The Idaho/Washington matchup saw the two clubs battle three quarters without a score.

Asotin snapped the 0-0 deadlock in the fourth quarter with a 35-yard shot from Loseth to Carson Jagannath.

Asotin failed to get the extra point kick, and the M-D offense put the game into overtime with a score by Elijah Lowen on a plunger. McCall also failed to pick up the point and seal the win.

The Panthers nailed the win after Jacob Henry scored on a three-yard plunger to cap the drive in overtime.

Coach Morgan sees the Asotin start as a matchup between two young clubs. He said the Bulldogs look forward to trying out the pistol offense in a full game condition.

After the Asotin trip, Colfax will return home to host the new Northwest Christian Club. Colfax also had a look at NWC last week at Lind, and Morgan noted the Crusaders have advanced a long way since they were at the Boise State’s football camps with Colfax.

“Northwest Christian has a lot of talent. Just like any new organization, they have to get it to meld together,” Morgan commented.