Colfax's Jr. Falcon Midget team will take a No. 1 seed into Saturday's first round playoff game at Folsom.

Three Jr. Falcon Teams Head To Playoffs

The Colfax Jr. Falcons closed the regular season by taking all four games from Center last Saturday at Marson Field. With these wins, the Pee Wees and Junior Midgets joined the  Midgets in the playoffs. This marks the first time in the association’s six-year history that three Colfax teams have moved on to round one.

Jr. Peewees 30 Center 7 -  After a scoreless first quarter, Colfax broke the ice on their last possession of the second quarter. Travyn Hiemann picked off a pass at Center’s 34 and ran it to the 28. Three plays later, Colton Reeves ran it in from 26 yards. Michael Stuck’s pass to Michael LaVigne was good for 2 points and an 8-0 half time lead. Colfax had the ball to start the second half and lost 15 yards on two plays.

Reeves then got around the end and found pay dirt 65-yards later. Stuck converted on a pass to Heimann for two points and a 16-0 lead. Center found the end zone with a 90-yard run just before the quarter ended. Starting the fourth  quarter at their own 40, Reeves scored his third TD of the day with a 60 yard run upping the led to 24-7.

Following a Center punt, Colfax took over at the 50. Dylan Owens ran for 29 yards an on the next play, Stuck took it in to close out the scoring at 30-7.

The defense played well led by Heimann’s interception and sacks by Stuck, Reeves, Heimann, Jack Welty and Jake LaHaie. Also there was a touchdown saving tackle by Reeves and a fumble recovery by Zach Fejes. Alex Weir, John Pantlick, Alex Thomason and Angelo Margherita also chipped in with backfield stops of runners.

Peewees 19 Center 13 - In a game that determined the Pee Wee’s playoff chances, Colfax held the Cougars on their first possession. Taking over at the 50, it took six plays before Zane McDade plowed in from the one-yard line for a 6-0 lead. Eleven plays later, Center tied the score at 6. Logan McGlothlan then recovered a Cougar fumble at the Cougar 44 and ten plays later, Marc Avila ran for the score and added a one-point conversion run for a 13-6 lead.

Dallan Trentman forced a Cougar fumble, which was recovered by Tyler Nickerson at the Cougar 38. The Cougars held and from their 43, scored on a 57 yard run and converted to tie at 13-13. Colfax closed out the scoring starting at their 48 and going on a six play drive with Mason Hurst running to paydirt and the 19-13 final score.

With less than three minutes remaining, Hurst, Anthony Griggs, Wil Besler, and J.T. Hobbs made key stops preserving the win. Cameron Lee and Nathan Sawi pounced on two more fumbles. Also contributing to the defensive efforts were Luke Baggett, Coleman Young, Skyler Saavedra and Jack Beeman

The Pee Wees play 1st seed Pleasant Grove at Sheldon High School at 1:-00pm Saturday.

Jr. Midgets 38 Center 19 - Late in the first quarter, a Center’s punt attempt from their 9-yard line was partially blocked and recovered by Ian Gassaway and returned to Center’s 5. Timmy Rawlins carried twice, finding paydirt from a yard out and 6-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Gassaway tracked down the Center receiver at the 22.

Losing two yards on three plays, Center had to punt and Rawlins, Dalton Bannister and Travis Mullican smothered the punt attempt. Taking over at the Center 9, Logan Hurst scored and Rawlins ran for the one point conversion and a 13-0 lead. Forcing Center to punt, Marcus Jackson took the punt at his 35 and returned it to the Center 2. Rawlins then carried it in for a 19-0 lead. Justin Boice passed to Hurst to extend the lead to 20-0.

Surprising Center with an onside kick, Jake Buol recovered the kick at Center’s 49. A penalty moved the ball back and on the next play, Rawlins weaved his way through the Cougar’s defense on his way to a 55-yard TD run.

Center opened the 2nd half with a 9-play scoring drive narrowing the score to 26-6. Holding Colfax on four plays, they went on a 11-play scoring drive closing the score to 26-13. Colfax started the fourth quarter from the 50 and on the first play, Jackson raced down the sidelines to the 5.

Rawlins opened the door with a key block and on the next play, Rawlins took it in for his fourth score of the day. Colfax forced Center to punt again and starting from Center’s 40, Jackson ran for 30 yards to the 10 and took the ball in on the next play for a 38-13 lead.

Gassaway again caught the Center kickoff returner on Center’s 16 and from there, the Cougars went on a 9-play drive to close out the scoring.

Outstanding defensive efforts were made by Matthew Blackburn, Sammy LaHaie, Patrick Beninga, Beau Baggett, Connor Rawlins, Alex Tobiasz, Matthew Wasko, Conor Ramsey and Ray Henry. The Junior Midgets play number 2 seed Rio Linda at Livermore Park in Folsom this Saturday at 3:00pm

Midgets 26 Center 7 - Kyle Bryant started the game with a scintillating 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but it was nullified by a penalty. Starting at their own 25, the Junior Falcons went on a 12-play drive culminating in a 3-yard TD run by Tanner Kane. Mario Margherita kicked a 2-point conversion for an 8-0 lead. Center’s only score came following a punt. Pinned down at their own 3, a pass attempt was picked off by Center and run in to make the score 8-7.

Bryant returned the ensuing kickoff to the Colfax 45. Following runs by Tanner Pelle and Chancey Trentman, Jack Baldoni passed to Bailey Bean to Center’s 36. From there, Baldoni found an opening and raced 36 yards to paydirt and a 14-7 lead. Center fumbled the 2nd half kickoff and Baldoni pounced on the loose ball at Center’s 35.

He ran the ball 30 yards to the 5 and from there, Jake Medeiros pounded it in extending the score to 20-7. Margherita’s 2-point conversion attempt clanged off the left upright. In the fourth quarter, John Hayes forced a fumble, which Margherita  recovered at the Colfax 47. Using their second 12-play time-consuming drive, Kane carried the ball in for his second score to close scoring at 26-7.

Big contributors to the defensive effort were Michael Walker, Robbie Lopez, Bean, Jonathan Walker, Trenton Green, Alexander Nevarez, Brian Little and Chas Reisinger.