There's nothing quite like home cooking – except in the Mancos-Dove Creek football series.
For the fourth consecutive time in their highly competitive recent meetings, the road team walked away smiling, as Dove Creek staved off three Mancos comeback attempts and scored in the final minute of the fourth quarter to defeat the Bluejays 34-26 to sit in firm control of the eight-man Mountain League title race.
The Bluejays (5-2, 1-1 Mountain League) and Bulldogs (7-0, 2-0 Mountain League) entered as top-four programs in the latest CHSAA coaches poll, with both teams boasting among the most prolific offenses and stifling defenses in the state.
From the opening kickoff, it appeared as the teams were destined for another one-score game – the fourth consecutive in the series – as the defensive strengths were on display. The teams traded possessions after exchanging some early hard hits.
After struggling getting their ground game going, Dove Creek turned to the air to strike first late in the first quarter, as senior quarterback Kade Hankins found an open teammate – junior Gage Buffington – for a 27-yard pass for the opening touchdown.
The Bluejays snuffed out the next promising Bulldog drive, but Mancos' next drive struggled to move the ball again, with the Bulldogs honing in on junior Kail Wayman, trying to limit the talented running back's ability to get to the second level. With another stalled drive, the Bluejays set up in punt formation. This time, however, the hosts tried to catch the Bulldogs off guard with a fake punt, but Dove Creek wasn't fooled, setting up the Bulldogs with possession in Mancos territory.
Riding the positive surge on the visiting sideline, Hankins wasted no time in taking advantage. He slipped out onto the edge on a designed keeper on the first play to continue the momentum, racing to the end zone from 49 yards to build the lead to 14-0.
The visiting contingent looked to have seized early control – but just as readily as they had the edge, Mancos stole the energy back.
Mancos finally found some offensive traction, riding a series of big chunk plays into Dove Creek territory. Connections from senior quarterback Ayden Mathews to Wayman and junior Levi Martin pushed the Jays deep into D.C. territory for the first time all evening.
With a first down at the Dove Creek 5, Mancos tried unsuccessfully on the first three plays to punch the ball into the end zone, as Dove Creek stood tall. However, on fourth down, Wayman stepped out of a couple would-be tackles to score from 4 yards out to get Mancos on the board.
The home sideline finally had the chance to get loud, and their defense responded, as the Bluejays defense forced a three-and-out, and Mancos took over from its own 25-yard line.
The offense struck with one of their trademark big plays, as the offensive line opened up a hole for Martin, who found green space into the secondary, then raced away from his pursuers in a 75-yard touchdown to erase the 14 point deficit.
Now, the home sideline pulsated, and Dove Creek need to regroup.
Showing composure, Dove Creek generated a steady drive, highlighted by a big Hankins run, setting up the Bulldogs for a response. Down to the Mancos 1-yard line, Hankins found the end zone for the second time of the night, plunging in to regain the lead, 20-14.
Mancos’ Cole Dainty-Guilfoyle emerged with a big sack right before halftime to stymie the Bulldogs’ last threat of the opening half, but Dove Creek headed to the locker room out in front.
The hosts received the opening kickoff of the second half, hoping to reenergize the crowd. They wasted no time in doing just that. Martin’s big day continued on the kick return, as Mancos set up a tremendous special teams return to give the junior a huge lane to take the ball back for a 74-yard kickoff return to knot the score at 20.
The third quarter, after all the explosive offensive plays in the first half, turned to defensive domination. Punts and turnovers traded the ball back-and-forth over the third stanza, so the teams entered the fourth quarter needing to break the deadlock.
The Bulldogs were the first to step up in the fourth quarter – providing one of their most prolific drives of the night. Dove Creek churned down the field in a time-consuming drive, before Taber Dejane finished the drive, putting the visitors up 26-20.
Mancos responded with a grinding drive of their own, pushing down the field into the red zone, before Mathews picked out junior Broc Imel for a touchdown pass to tie the score, 26-26.
Unfazed, Dove Creek would answer one more time. With both teams pouring every ounce into each play, the visitors held the ball for several minutes while marching into Bluejays territory.
Facing a fourth down in the Mancos red zone with less than a minute to go, Hankins broke up through the Mancos defense, scoring from 16 yards to jolt the visiting sideline into elation, leading 34-26 after the two-point conversion with 44 seconds left.
Senior Bulldogs Kendall Gardner stopped Mathews in the backfield, all part of a defensive stop to seal the game, sending the Bulldogs into celebration and maintaining their unbeaten season.
The Bulldogs and Bluejays will both have Dolores (0-4, 0-1 Mountain League) as their next opponent – with Mancos facing a trip to take on the Bears on Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m., while Dove Creek will have a bye week before their home meeting with the Bears on Oct. 21. Mancos will cap off the regular season on Oct. 21 with a trip to Sanford, while Dove Creek travels to Sargent on Oct. 28 looking to seal up the league crown.
