COLUSA, CA (MPG) – It’s often said in sports that “it’s not how you start, but how you finish,” and that was certainly the case for the Colusa RedHawks last Friday night when after finding themselves down 14-0 just four minutes into the game against visiting Paradise, they came roaring back to crush the Bobcats 57-21.
Coming off their bye week, the RedHawks were rested and felt that their preparations simulated game-like conditions as Coach Mikey Badaluco explained, “We thought we had really physical practices, but we weren’t ready when the whistle blew at kickoff. We knew that they played tough run defense, but we also knew our receivers would create mismatches on the outside, which ultimately they did.”
And that‘s precisely what did happen once Colusa recovered from the shock of the Bobcats opening drive and a turnover that allowed Paradise to get back into the end zone two minutes later.
However, on its next possession, the RedHawk offense came to life, putting together a 12-play drive that culminated with an 18-yard catch and run by Peyton Humphrey, which made the score 7-14 as the first quarter came to an end.
Following a tackle for a loss by Isaiah Travis that forced Paradise to punt on the first play of the second quarter, Colusa embarked on a drive that took six minutes off the clock and ended when quarterback Bo Coronado found Travis on a fourth down play from two yards away for his second scoring strike of the night.
A blocked extra point seemed to buoy the Bobcats though, as they responded with a seven-play drive to increase their lead to 21-13 with 2:31 left in the half.
It would be the last points Paradise would put on the board, however, as Colusa was about to unleash an offensive onslaught.
Again it was Coronado providing the spark, using his legs to pick up tough yardage on the ground before finding Landon Humphrey, who broke through a would-be tackle and raced 25 yards to the end zone.
After Coronado tacked on the two-point try, to knot the score at 21 all with 43 seconds left in the half, the momentum change was palpable and the game was about to turn into a rout.
As one of the team’s leaders, Coronado said it was his responsibility to get his squad going.
“I felt my team was down a little to start and that I was the guy that needed to lift them up,” the senior said. “I thought that if they saw me putting it all out there and playing with heart for them, that they would do the same for me, and they did.”
That was in fact the case, as the RedHawks took the second half kickoff and needed just two plays and 57 seconds to take their first lead of the night after Coronado found a wide open Landon Humphrey in the middle of the field and the senior did the rest, taking it 74 yards to the house.
While the Colusa offense was heating up, so was the defense, which after making a halftime adjustment held the Bobcats to a three-and-out on the visitors’ first possession of the third quarter.
With the ball now at their own 46-yard line, the RedHawks again needed just two plays to find the end zone for the fifth time when Coronado connected with Travis for a 40-yard score to extend the advantage to 35-21.
Still, there was more to come from Colusa in the final period as Coronado hit Landon Humphrey in stride down the sideline for a 30-yard touchdown, then, on the ensuing drive, linked up with Travis, who cut back across the field to score from 45 yards away.
It was the seventh touchdown pass of the game for Coronado, who in the process tied six other Northern Section quarterbacks in the record book for the most touchdowns thrown in a game.
Colusa also tacked on a late touchdown, when, after Daniel Thompson recovered a Paradise fumble, Abimael Fuerte burst through the line 45 yards to the end zone.
On a night where the RedHawk offense rolled up 537 yards of total offense, Coronado led the way, completing 18 of 26 passes for 391 yards.
Landon Humphrey hauled in five of those passes for 150 yards and three touchdowns, while Travis caught four balls for 107 yards and three touchdowns.
For the defense, Will McCoy recorded 11 tackles and Hayden Sines made eight to lead Colusa.
Although the final score didn’t show it, Badaluco felt that there was a lesson to be learned in having to come from two touchdowns down for the first time this season.
“Despite the running clock at the very end, this game was different,” said the third-year head coach. “We had some adversity early on and had to fight back. It was a good test for us.”
The RedHawks (5-0) open Sacramento Valley League play tonight with a rivalry game against Pierce at Gregg LeMaster Field in Arbuckle. H
