Coach Jeff Scott wanted to make a point that his South King County Colts were preparing itself for playoff football. The Colts made that point 66 times this past Saturday, demolishing the Clark County Vipers and clinching a Pacific Football League playoff berth.
“We’re getting ready for playoffs and we know how to rev it up,” Scott said.
The revving came early and often for the 6-3 Colts. In all, 10 different Colts reached the end zone. Quarterback Leo Dickerson threw for 303 yards and fired four touchdown passes, including a 97-yard strike to Anthony Montgomery (two catches, 144 yards) – the Colts’ longest play from scrimmage this season. The Colts also added three rushing touchdowns, two special teams’ touchdowns and an interception return for another score.
“We’re really putting things together at the right time,” Montgomery said. “Leo took charge tonight and was a real leader for us.”
While things are coming together for the Colts, the same cannot be said for the Vipers. After starting their season with nine straight wins, the current three game skid experienced by Clark County can only be described as epic. The Vipers have now lost three straight games by a margin of four touchdowns or larger.
Things have not been the same for Clark County since losing starting quarterback Kyle English to an anterior cruciate ligament tear. The Colts proved that time and time again. Colt defenders Jairzeno Thomas, Greg Reynolds, Jordan Tautua-Jantoc and Mitch Johnson all sacked backup quarterback Naamon Archer. The Colts held Archer to just 86 yards passing, completing 9 of 27 attempts.
Special teams struck twice for the Colts in the first quarter. On the Vipers opening possession, Johnson picked up an errant snap back to the punter and rumbled 15 yards for the touchdown. Mike Astley’s kick made it 7-0 early for the Colts.
On the ensuing possession, the Vipers were again forced to punt. Kevin Callahan’s punt travelled just 11 yards and took a Colts bounce. The Vipers were unable to down it and Brandon Ervin picked up the ball and scampered 58 yards to put the colts up 14-0 still with over 10 minutes left in the opening quarter.
“Special teams are one third of the game,” Scott said. “You have to win all three facets of the game – offense, defense and special teams to win in the playoffs.”
The Colts added three more touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 33-0 halftime lead. Bradley Chappell scored on an 11-yard run followed by Dickerson’s pass to Tristan Gray for 25 yards. Carlos Clark then hauled in a 39-yard touchdown pass on 3rd-and-15 with just a few seconds left in the half.
Mercy was not part of the Colts’ game plan in the second half. The Colts needed just two plays on its first possession of the third quarter to extend the lead to 40-0. Dickerson hit Robbie Delgardo on a screen pass and then Delgardo dodged tacklers along the sideline and scored from 49 yards out.
The Vipers were able to break the shutout when quarterback Naamon Archer scored on a keeper form one yard out. But the extra point was blocked. That left the score at 40-6.
After the Dickerson to Montgomery connection made it 47-6, the Colts added three more touchdowns in the fourth. Gary Reynolds and Ramon McNair each scored on one-yard runs. Abdul Gilbert closed out the scoring by intercepting a pass from backup quarterback Marvin Bronson III and returning it 38 yards for the touchdown.
The Colts will play one more regular season game against the first place Kitsap County Bears, 6 p.m. July 9 That game will be July 9 at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner. The first playoff game will be July 16. Playoff matchups and locations have not been announced.
