The Winslow Bulldogs began the football season Saturday in Flagstaff with a 27-20 loss to the Lake Havasu Fighting Knights. The game was the third of the day in the Northern Arizona University Skydome and as it was late starting, it did not end until nearly 11 p.m.
The Knights scored the first time they touched the ball on a 50-yard punt return by Jacob Kalagonis. Josh Crabtree converted to give them a 7-0 lead with 11:35 left in the first quarter.
Winslow drove 65 yards to score on its next possession. Rey Velez passed 12 yards to Darrien “Peanut” Brown for the touchdown. The conversion failed and Lake Havasu still led 7-6 with 5:18 left in the quarter.
Lake Havasu defensive back Kylan Konen intercepted a Winslow pass and returned it to the Bulldog one yard line, from which quarterback Jack Warner scored. The conversion increased Lake Havasu’s lead to 14-6 with 11:03 left in the first half.
The Knights increased their lead to 21-6 with just over a minute left in the half on a one-yard run by Austin Shubule. That play was set up by a pass from Warner to Kalagonis.
The half ended on a strange sequence of events that resulted in Winslow starting the second half with a major penalty. The Bulldogs overcame that problem, thanks to a Nick Marquez fumble recovery that started a Winslow scoring drive. Velez passed 16 yards to Akkeem Foster for the touchdown with 5:22 left in the third quarter to cut the Lake Havasu lead to 21-12 as the conversion pass was incomplete.
Kalagonis scored on a 16-yard run to give Lake Havasu a 27-12 lead with less than two minutes left in the third quarter after the extra point kick was blocked.
The Bulldogs scored on a 50-yard pass from Velez to Nathan Hollins with just 2:44 left in the game. A two-point conversion pass from Velez to Foster cut the margin to the final 27-20, but the Knights were able to run out the clock and claim the victory.
The Bulldogs played well against a larger school and benefited from outstanding performances by Velez, Foster, C.J. Chacon and Brown, among others.
The Bulldogs will journey to Holbrook to meet the Roadrunners on Friday, Sept. 4, in the second game of the season for both schools. Holbrook defeated Camp Verde 25-12 in its first outing.
In early action Snowflake started strong and defeated Amphitheater out of Tucson 40-0 on Aug. 21 and Tempe Prep 19-0 on Aug. 28. The Lobos are slated to host Fountain Hills on Sept. 11. Show Low also started strong with wins over Round Valley 34-7 on Aug. 21 and Chinle 47-0 on Aug. 28. The Cougars will meet the Florence Gophers on Sept. 11.
The Blue Ridge Yellowjackets edged St. Johns 8-6 on Aug. 21 and will play Walnut Grove on Sept. 4. The Payson Longhorns defeated Window Rock 57-6 on Aug. 21 and will meet St. Johns on Sept. 4.
The Page Sand Devils defeated the Tuba City Warriors 29-8 on Aug. 21, but lost to the Florence Gophers 54-0 on Aug. 29.
