The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Last year the Haxtun Bulldogs fell short of a state championship appearance with a home-field loss to the Simla Cubs. This year, they flipped the script.

Haxtun traveled to Simla on Saturday in a rematch of last year's semifinal contest and this time, the Bulldogs avenged their loss and punched their ticket to the state championship. Haxtun's 30-12 win in Simla last week pits the Bulldogs in a match up with Mancos this Friday in the 8-man title contest; a re-match of the 2021 game in which Haxtun brought home the School's eighth state title.

Saturday's contest with Simla was physical but the Bulldog defense put on a show-stopping performance. In their 11 games prior, the Cubs scored at least 37 points or more, averaging just over 48 points per game. Haxtun held the Cubs scoreless the entire first half, allowing Simla only two trips to the end zone on their own home turf.

Simla won the toss and elected to defer to the second half, giving Haxtun the ball to kick off 8-man action on an oddly warm Saturday afternoon in mid-November. The Bulldogs gave up the ball on downs in their first possession but Simla did the same, giving Haxtun their second possession of the game early in the first. The Bulldog offense went to work and with a quarterback keeper from junior Ryland Wolff that put the ball out across the 50, Haxtun was in scoring position. As the drive extended, Wolff ran the ball around the outside and past Simla's defense for Haxtun's first touchdown.

The Bulldog defense held Simla for a second time, forcing the Cubs to punt early into the second quarter. In Haxtun's next drive, the offense struggled to gain a first down, forcing a punt to the Cubs. Both teams traded downs and possession throughout the rest of the second quarter. Haxtun found the end zone at the heels of Wolff, but a hanky on the field at the end of the play negated the run leaving the score 8-0 at half time.

Simla held possession of the ball to kick off the second half but Haxtun's defense came up big again, forcing the Cubs to punt the ball away. Wolff found the end zone for the second time, putting Haxtun up 14-0. Plays later, senior Keegan Colglazier read the Cubs quarterback perfectly as he came up with a pick six for the Bulldogs. Wolff punched in the PAT to give Haxtun a 22-0 advantage.

Things seem to waiver for the Bulldogs for several minutes at the end of the third as the team allowed back-to-back Simla touchdowns. Simla attempted an onside kick but the attempt only put the Bulldogs in ample scoring position. A fumble gave Simla the ball back but a late-game spark gave new life to the Bulldogs as senior Kaiden Schelling came up with a huge interception at mid-field. Haxtun drove to the end zone and with little time left on the clock, senior Kailin Kelley took the ball up the middle for another Bulldog touchdown. A Wolff-to-Colglazier connection gave Haxtun the PAT and a 30-12 advantage.

Haxtun came up with one last interception to maintain ball control and as the final seconds ticked off the clock the Bulldogs celebrated the 18-point win that punched their ticket to the state championship.

Meanwhile, in Mancos, the Bluejays rolled to a 44-22 win over Lyons to earn their trip to the title game. Haxtun and Mancos took down the only two remaining undefeated teams in 8-man action. The Bulldogs and Bluejays both enter the championship game with overall 11-1 records. Mancos' loss came at the hands of the Bulldogs, 28-22, on Sept. 16.

HAXTUN QUARTERBACK Ryland Wolff escapes a Simla Cub defender as he pushes for yards in Saturday's semifinal win.

The Bulldogs dominated ball control against the Cubs on Saturday, completing 12 first downs and a total of 70 plays. Quarterback Wolff connected with seven passes for 81 yards. He averaged 11.6 yards per pass.

Wolff also led the Bulldog ground game with 205 yards from 21 carries and two touchdowns. Kelley racked up 78 yards on the ground followed by Grant Statz with 35 yards.

Grant Statz and Kelley combined for a total of 22 tackles Saturday afternoon. Colglazier added eight followed by Schelling with six and Corbin Andersen and Zach Statz, each with five. Andersen and Grant Statz each registered sacks on the Cubs quarterback.

The 2023 8-man Championship contest is slated for Friday, Nov. 24 at CSU-Pueblo's ThunderBowl in Pueblo. Kick-off is set for 5 p.m.