Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Gorillas gain a win in tight early NE2B race
CHATTAROY—A week after losing a tight, last-minute contest at home to Lind-Ritzville/Sprague, the Davenport football team found itself on the winning side of an important, bounce-back game over the previously undefeated Northwest Christian (Colbert) Crusaders. Davenport improved to 2-1 with a 22-20 victory over NWC Friday, Sept. 17 to gain a win in a league that’s hotly contested to start the 2021 season.
The win was Davenport’s second road victory of the year after the Gorillas knocked off Colfax in the season opener. NWC lost its first contest after wins over Reardan and Colfax to start the season.
Tied 14-14 with 10 minutes left in the game, senior running back Marcus Delafield powered in a seven-yard run. Head coach Justin Young elected to go for two after wingback, defensive back and kicker Brenick Soliday was injured in the first quarter. Delafield converted that try, and Davenport led 22-14.
The Crusaders got the ball back with a chance to even the game. They put six on the board with a touchdown pass with 2:18 on the clock to bring the score to 22-20. Then, a pair of seniors stepped up defensively for the Gorillas when defensive tackle Willie Waters and middle linebacker Sam Schneider combined to stuff the two-point conversion rush attempt by NWC.
NWC lined up to try an onside kick. That try didn’t go Davenport’s way.
NWC had the ball again at the Davenport 40-yard line down two points with a chance to win the game. But the Davenport defense forced four straight incomplete passes to secure victory.
“This was definitely a confidence booster after the one we dropped to LRS,” Young said. “We didn’t play well until the second half due to penalties and some bad exchanges, but we did what we had to do.”
Davenport’s game at Oroville Sept. 25 was cancelled, so the Gorillas will take on No. 10 ranked Lake Roosevelt in Grand Coulee Thursday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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