Colfax-Mingo football runs past Lynnville-Sully

COLFAX — The last time Colfax-Mingo’s football team defeated Lynnville-Sully, the Tigerhawks wore their orange uniforms on homecoming four years ago.

They decided to break out the orange again on Friday night, and the Tigerhawks ended a three-game losing skid against the Hawks during another homecoming contest.

Colfax-Mingo rolled off 41 unanswered points after falling behind early and snapped a two-game losing streak during a 41-15 win over Lynnville-Sully.

The Tigerhawks rushed for 330 yards in the victory. Colfax-Mingo ends the non-district season 2-2, while Lynnville-Sully is now 0-5.

“We just took what they were giving us,” Colfax-Mingo coach Jeff Lietz said. “We didn’t know where they would load up or if they would bracket our receivers. When they gave us a look that loaded up against the pass, we knew we’d have some inside running lanes. The offensive line stepped up tonight.”

C-M’s offensive line is made up of juniors A.J. Gibson, Andrew Gorman and Andres Villegas, senior Jakob Chapman and sophomore Grant Alexander.

The 330 rushing yards by the Tigerhawks are the most for the program in more than a decade. Junior Jayden Horrach finished with a career-high 176 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.

It was Horrach’s fourth straight 100-plus yard rushing game of the season and the most rushing yards for anyone at Colfax-Mingo since Jared Myers gained 206 in 2014.

The Hawks went right down the field on their opening drive, marching 59 yards in eight plays. Freshman Conner Maston threw his first career touchdown pass, a 29-yard strike to senior Jacob DeHoedt.

“I think our freshman quarterback did a fantastic job on that first drive,” L-S coach Mike Parkinson said. “That was absolutely awesome. We need guys to rally around that. When we put another guy in, we need to keep moving forward, but our mental mistakes were holding us back.”

Colfax-Mingo’s defense didn’t allow another score until the backups came into the game in the fourth quarter. L-S freshman Lane Fisk scored his first career TD on an 8-yard run, but it was too little too late for the visitors.

Lynnville-Sully did a good job of moving the ball most of the night but turned it over three times and committed 13 penalties.

“When you play the style we play, when you take two steps forward but then go one step back because of a penalty, it’s just a killer,” Parkinson said. “Third and longs in a run-based offense just don’t work. We have to execute better on first and second down. We just didn’t do that tonight.”

The Tigerhawks went three and out on their first offensive possession but answered the Hawks’ scoring drive with a nine-play, 69-yard drive. Senior Brady Berkey’s 33-yard run set up his 5-yard TD run with 3:52 left in the first quarter.

Berkey rushed for 101 yards on 16 carries and had 62 yards and two TDs through the air. Both touchdown passes went to senior Trystin Ross.

Colfax-Mingo got the ball back after sophomore Tanner Gorman picked off senior Kinnick McFarland on third down. Horrach had runs of nine, 10 and four before giving the Tigerhawks the lead for good on a 40-yard TD run.

“Once we could see what they were doing defensively, we made some adjustments and were able to find some holes,” Horrach said. “The OL did great and made some big holes for me.”

Colfax-Mingo’s final drive of the first half lasted 14 plays, but the Tigerhawks had to punt after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty put them behind the sticks. Colfax-Mingo, which led 13-8 at halftime, did not turn the ball over but committed 10 penalties.

“I challenged the defense at halftime,” Lietz said. “I was tired of our offense having to score 29 points to win games. We needed to come out after halftime and shut them down and we did that. I was happy with how they responded.”

A methodical scoring drive late in the third quarter put the Hawks away for good. C-M went 52 yards in 11 plays. A Berkey 22-yard pass to Ross was the only play that went for more than 10 yards. Horrach capped the drive with a 5-yard TD run.

The Tigerhawks got the ball back after the Hawks’ third turnover of the night. McFarland hit senior Skyler Sanders for a 40-yard gain on third down but he fumbled near midfield.

“We challenged the defense to be in the right spots, follow the scheme and make tackles,” Lietz said. “We didn’t tackle last week, but we finished those plays this week. We gave up that first one just trying to settle in and then didn’t give up a whole lot after that,”

Colfax-Mingo drove 59 yards in eight plays on its next possession. Horrach’s 15-yard run set up Berkey’s 19-yard TD pass to Ross on third down.

Berkey and Ross hooked up less than two minutes later on an 11-yard TD pass play. The Tigerhawks got the ball back after a low snap on a punt gave them the ball at the L-S 11-yard line. The home team scored one play later.

The final Tigerhawk touchdown was a 43-yard run by Tanner Gorman with 4:18 to play in the game.

“It got to the point of pride for the offensive line,” Lietz said. “They were coming over to Coach (Matt) Barkalow all night telling him to just run behind them. I give a lot of the credit to those guys.”

Lynnville-Sully scored on its final possession with 2:24 to play. Maston hooked up with sophomore Ryan Annee on a 29-yard pass and that set up Fisk’s 8-yard TD run.

The Hawks have struggled in the second halves of each game this season. Parkinson said his squad is still searching for answers and an identity.

“We need to find some heart. Period,” Parkinson said. “We are running some option offense and I like what we are doing because it fits our personnel. But we were disengaged tonight and I am not sure why. We marched down the field on our first drive but then had constant mental lapses. I am not sure why, but we’ll fix it.”

The Tigerhawks gained 389 yards in the win. Tanner Gorman rushed for 57 yards on seven carries, Berkey passed for 62 yards and two scores on eight completions and Ross caught six passes for 47 yards and two scores.

Senior Jesse Allen led the C-M defense with 7.5 tackles, while Ross tallied five tackles and Villegas had 4.5 tackles. Tanner Gorman and sophomore Justin Myers finished with four tackles each.

“This win is big heading into district play,” Lietz said. “We should have performed better the past two weeks. We know we are a good football team and to get one tonight and grab some momentum is big.”

Lynnville-Sully gained 261 yards in the game. Senior Ethan Wyma rushed for 46 yards on 13 carries, Maston was 2-for-4 for 58 yards and a TD through the air and Sanders gained 40 yards on his only catch.

McFarland’s only completion went for 40 yards. Sophomore Bryce Byrd gained 35 yards on five carries.

Senior Slater Young and Wyma tallied eight tackles each for the L-S defense. Junior Payton Van Wyk and senior Zane Fraker each had five tackles.

Colfax-Mingo begins Class 1A District 7 action against Pleasantville at 7 p.m. this Friday in Pleasantville.

“It’s good for morale. It’s good to get some momentum heading into district play,” Horrach said. “We need to start faster, but once we do that, we should be really good.”

Lynnville-Sully opens Class A District 8 play at home against Wayne at 7 p.m. this Friday in Sully.

Lynnville-Sully 8-0-0-7 — 15

Colfax-Mingo 6-7-7-21 — 41

L-S — Jacob DeHoedt 29-yard pass from Conner Maston (Maston pass to Zane Fraker)

C-M — Brady Berkey 5-yard run (pass failed)

C-M — Jayden Horrach 40-yard run (Berkey kick)

C-M — Horrach 5-yard run (Berkey kick)

C-M — Trystin Ross 19-yard pass from Berkey (Berkey kick)

C-M — Ross 11-yard pass from Berkey (Berkey kick)

C-M — Tanner Gorman 43-yard run (Berkey kick)

L-S — Lane Fisk 8-yard run (Pietro Vacchini kick)