Dawgs on short side in final game against Vikings

DAYTON–The Bulldogs drew first blood then didn't have an answer for Garfield-Palouse's Lane Collier's three rushing goals and one passing touchdown as the Dawgs finished the 2023 campaign with a 52-30 Homecoming and Senior Night loss here last Friday.

Under first-year Head Coach Lucas Collier, the Bulldogs notched a 2-7 record with wins over Yakama Nation Tribal and St. John-Endicott/LaCrosse in what many recognize as a "building year" as the team returns to eight-man play after seven years in the D-W Combine.

Eight of the 16 players are freshman in on-the-job training. Freshman quarterback Jordan McCowen connected seven of 14 passes for 121 yards, two touchdowns and was picked three times. He often hit favorite receiver Denver Hutchens, a 6-1, 165-lb freshman, for drive-saving advances.

Hutchens caught an 11-yard touchdown strike in the early minutes of the game, giving the Bulldogs an 8-0 lead. He then intercepted a Viking pass to halt Gar-Pal's first drive at the Bulldog 10-yard line.

"I'm really proud of my entire team," Hutchens commented after the game. "I'm proud the way they stuck through it.

Next year's going to be even better," Hutchens said, alluding to this team's "freshman-heavy" roster. "We've got some good linemen-eighth graders-coming up. Our freshman-heavy class is going to sophomores, obviously bigger and stronger, and hopefully more experienced as well. Hopefully we'll get a few more wins."

The Dawgs' last touchdown was a well-executed hook-and-ladder, McCowen passing to Hutchens in the flat who the lateraled the ball to senior fullback Kaylub Prather, who outsprinted the defense to the end zone. "That hook and ladder was really fun," Hutchens said.

The Bulldogs garnered 265 yards of total offense, 144 on the ground and 121 through the air.

Prather packed the mail 20 times for 112 yards and a touchdown, plus the hook-and-ladder touchdown. McCowen rushed 10 times for 23 yards and Hutchens gathered in six of eight passes for 81 yards and a score.

The game started on a positive note with Dayton holding the Vikings to three and out, then marching 38 yards to pay dirt on a 21-yard sweep by McCowen, rushes by Prather and Will Durham, and finishing with an 11-yard McCowen to Hutchens pass for six. Prather's PAT made it 8-0.

A few Gar-Pal plays later, Hutchens stepped in front of a Bryce Pfaff pass and the Dawgs were on the march, crossing midfield on a Prather breakaway of 31 yards. A bad snap reversed the team 14 years, then McCowen threw to a well-defended Hutchens, who reached over his defender's shoulders and snatched the ball before it could be intercepted. But a fourth and seven pass fell incomplete and the Vikings replied with a nine-play, 60-yard drive and 8-8 score.

Gar-Pal's onside kick was recovered and they scored quickly as the second quarter got underway.

Dayton couldn't get its offense chugging and again couldn't convert on fourth and long. The Vikes took six plays to move 52 yards and a 22-8 lead.

Both teams grappled through possession exchanges that ate up most of the second quarter when Gar-Pal's Collier intercepted a McCowen pass. Then he caught a Pfaff throw for a 68-yard TD.

This time the Vikings kicked deep and Prather fielded the ball at the 25 then pinballed through the G-P defense for six with fifteen seconds remaining in the half. The PAT was no good and the Dawgs within striking distance, 30-14.

Gar-Pal's Aden Bolyard intercepted McCowen to halt Dayton's first drive of the second half, and the Vikings methodically moved downfield for a 10-yard ramble by Collier for a 38-14 lead. The remainder of the third was a ground- and time-chewing exchange, Dayton's drive halted by a Prather fumble and the Dawg defense stopping the Vikings at the Dayton 27.

The Bulldogs hurried to the air to mount a second-half comeback, but McCowen's pass intended for Raymond Yutzy was snagged by Bolyard and the Vikings took that possession in for six as the fourth quarter got underway, 46-14.

The Dawgs recovered the onside kick and couldn't sustain a drive, stalling after a first-down run by McCowen. Taking over on downs, the Vikings made a big jump toward the goal on a Pfaff to Macent Rardon connection for 32 yards, added to by a face masking flag. Coller punched in from the five for a 52-14 Gar-Pal lead, the difference of 38 points not enough to trigger the running clock.

Dayton's next possession was second and eight on the Viking 31 and Prather broke free for six only to have a block in the back penalty call it back. Prather ran the next five carries, scoring from the two with 1:03 to play. McCowen scored the extra point.

The Dawgs executed an onside kick, touched by Gar-Pal's Lincoln Pfaff and recovered by Durham at the 50 yard line. On this play, McCowen swung a pass to Hutchens along the sideline and he flipped the ball to Prather who was off to the races for the Bulldogs' final touchdown. McCowen again scored the PAT, picking up a fumble and reaching the end zone to the left.

Gar-Pal 52, Dayton 30 (11-3)

Day 8 0 6 16-30

GP 8 22 8 14-52

Day-Hutchens 11 yd pass from McCowen. Prather run.

GP-Collier 7 yd run. Collier pass from Moore.

GP-Moore 3 yd run. Rardon pass from Moore.

GP-Moore 1 yd run. Run failed.

GP-Collier 68 yd pass from Moore. Rardon pass from Moore.

Day-Prather 75 yd kickoff return. Run failed.

GP-Collier 10 yd run. Rardon pass from Moore.

GP-Collier 1 yd run. Pfaff pass from Moore.

GP-Collier 5 yd run. Pass failed.

Day-Prather 2 yd run. McCowen run.

Day-Prather 50 yd run. McCowen run.