By Sam Conner The Winslow Bulldogs defeated the Payson Longhorns 20-17 in Payson on Friday. Winslow improved to 6-3 going into the game and Payson fell to 4-5 for the season. The win may have improved Winslow’s chances of making the playoffs and may have hurt Payson’s. Winslow got the opening kickoff and got into trouble with losses and Payson got the ball in threatening position. After several threats, the Longhorns scored on a 23-yard field goal. Winslow struck quickly driving to score on a 17-yard pass from Brennan Sawyer to Welden Gambler. Sawyer then ran for the two-point conversion. That was the score at the end of the first quarter. Payson scored late in the first half on a 73-yard run by Travis Christenson. The conversion gave the Longhorns a 10-8 halftime lead. Winslow had a long, time consuming drive of 98 yards early in the third quarter and scored on a three-yard run by Sawyer for a 14-10 lead after the conversion pass failed. Jesse ran 73 yards on a fake punt to put Payson back on top 17-14 after the conversion was good. Winslow drove for the winning touchdown, which was scored on a three-yard run by Sawyer. The conversion failed. Both teams had scoring threats in the rest of the game but it ended with the bulldogs winning 20-17. Winslow will complete its regular season on Friday at Snowflake. The Lobos defeated the Show Low Cougars 41-6 on Friday and 8-1 for the season and likely a top seed in the playoffs.
