The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – The defense allowed a touchdown on each of its opponent's first three drives. The defense also gave up a total of 489 yards in the game. And the defense allowed its opponent to score 41 points in just over the first three-quarters of the game.

But in the end, it was their defense that won the game for the Dayton-Waitsburg football team here Friday night against Columbia-Burbank, in a non-league matchup against a larger 1A division school.

Clutching a slim 45-41 lead over the final ten minutes of the game, the DW defense stopped two consecutive Burbank drives near midfield. And then, with 1:37 to go, the defense stuffed a potential game-winning drive on their own 15-yard line, as DW held on for the win.

"We made some changes at the half," said DW coach Troy Larsen. "We've been running a 3-4 defense (three down linemen and four linebackers), and it's a new system for a lot of the kids. They (Burbank) tore us up in the first half."

Larsen explained that in the second half the coaching staff switched to a "4-4 stack," adding another down lineman. "Burbank was running a read option, and it worked well for them in the first half. Our kids did a much better job sticking to their positions, especially in the fourth quarter."

DW's 45 points came during a fireworks-filled first three quarters, in which running back Travis Crockett scored four touchdowns and the DW offense repeatedly came up with big plays when it needed them. Crockett's return to the team, after missing DW's loss at Mac-Hi the previous week, gave DW's offense a huge spark.

"Having Travey back opens so many doors for us," Larsen said of Crockett. "With his speed, he can kill them if they single-team him. If they double-team him, that opens somebody else up."

Still, Burbank's offense outgained DW's, 489 to 406. But the stingy DW defense in the fourth quarter made the difference.

That final defensive stand came after a disastrous possession by DW that started on their own 49-yard line with 3:45 remaining in the game.

It was a chance to put the game away, but DW quarterback Jacob Dunn was sacked on first down for an 11-yard loss. On second down, running back Cal Martin attempted an end-around sweep, but was hauled down for an additional seven-yard loss. After an incomplete Dunn pass, the DW offense lined up for fourth and 28 on their own 31-yard line. Dunn's punt attempt was stuffed and recovered by Burbank on the DW 20 with just over two minutes to go. It was up to the defense to save the game.

A five-yard Burbank run after an incomplete pass made it third and 5 on the 15 with 1:42 left. The tight DW defensive backfield forced two more incomplete passes, and DW took over on downs.

Two long first-down runs – by Travis Crockett and Cal Martin – put DW on the Burbank 35-yard line with a minute to play and only one Coyote timeout remaining. Quarterback Dunn was able to run out the clock.

The game started out as an offensive show. Burbank took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards down the field and scored, to take a quick 7-0 lead with less than four minutes gone in the first quarter.

After a squib kick by Burbank gave DW the ball on the Burbank 42-yard line, Dunn completed a long pass to running back Crockett, who crossed the goal line untouched. But the DW offense's first play of the game was called back because of a motion penalty. Undaunted, Crockett took a handoff on the next play and sprinted down the right sideline for a touchdown to even the score at seven.

Burbank again drove quickly down the field for another score. After a blocked extra-point kick, the Coyotes led 13-7 with 4:31 to go in the first quarter.

With Crockett and fellow speedster Tanner Bren back for the kickoff, Burbank again kicked the ball short and gave DW possession at midfield. But this time, Dunn threw a third-down interception. The Coyotes responded with their third first-quarter touchdown, and jumped out to a 20-7 lead.

DW scored three times in the second quarter. Running back Cal Martin lunged the ball over the goal line from the one a minute into the second quarter. After a flubbed punt attempt by Burbank, DW took over at midfield and drove to the Coyote 9-yard line. Jordan French caught a pass over the middle from Dunn for the score. Both extra-point kick attempts were blocked, and DW trailed 20-19.

The Coyotes scored again with 4:45 remaining in the third to push their lead to 27-19. But DW quickly drove down the field and scored on a Dunn 7-yard keeper. This time, DW went for two, and Martin rumbled over the right side to even the score at 27.

Burbank threatened to score again, but the DW defense gave a hint of its late-game heroics to come, stopping the Coyotes on a fourth-and-five with five seconds on the clock.

After DW took the second-half kickoff on their own 40, Dunn launched a bomb to Crockett on the first play for a 60-yard touchdown. After a failed kick, DW had a 33-27 lead.

Another Burbank touchdown – and failed kick – tied the game again, at 33. Crockett scored two more times in the third, on runs of 27 yards and four yards. Both extra point attempts failed, and DW took a not-very-comforting 45-33 lead into the fourth quarter

Burbank scored quickly in the first two minutes of the final frame, and with a successful 2-point conversion, cut the DW lead to 45-41. It was then up to the defense, who shut down the Coyotes the rest of the way.

For the Game, Dunn completed eight of 15 passes for 173 yards and two TDs. He also threw two interceptions. Crockett rushed for 162 yards on 16 carries. He also caught three passes for 83 yards, giving him 245 total yards to go along with his four touchdowns.

Martin rushed eight times for 44 yards. Tanner Bren had three carries for 43 yards, and also caught one pass for 30 yards. French had three catches for 46 yards.

On defense, linebacker Martin had a huge game, racking up 27 tackles. Dunn, playing safety, and lineman Cade Branson, each had 11. Crockett also had an interception.

"The guys are starting to blend together and learning to trust each other," Larsen said of his team members from the two schools, many of whom haven't played together before.

DW plays their second home game Friday night, hosting DeSales in Waitsburg. The game will be broadcast live on K-Wheat radio, as ESPN's local game of the week.

Burbank 20 7 6 8-41

D-W 7 20 18 0-45

Scoring:

Burb - Humphreys 3 run (Magallon kick).

D-W - Crockett 47 run (T. Willis kick).

Burb - Jamison 5 pass from Humphreys (kick blocked).

Burb - Humphreys 2 run (Magallon kick).

D-W - Martin 1 run (kick blocked).

D-W - French 9 pass from Dunn (kick blocked).

Burb - Jamison 14 pass from Humphreys (Magallon kick).

D-W - Dunn 7 run (Martin run).

D-W - Crockett 60 pass from Dunn (kick failed).

Burb - Magallon 20 pass from Humphreys (run failed).

D-W - Crockett 27 run (pass failed).

D-W - Crockett 4 run (run failed).

Burb - Rowden 9 pass from Humphreys (Jamison pass from Humphreys).

Team Stats: Burb D-W

First Downs 23 14

Rushes/yards 62-263  34-233

Nick Page

Running back Cal Martin pushed the ball over the goal line for a score, while linemen Trystan Willis (65) and Drake Lamere (74) provided blocking.

Passing yards 226 173

Passes (atts-compl-int)37-22-1 15-8-2

Punts0-0 3-14.3

Fumbles3-0 1-1

Penalties7-61 7-73

Individual Stats:

RUSHING - Burb: Humphreys 23-108-2, Cole 37-151, Debord 1-4, Team 1-0; D-W: Crockett 16-162-3, Martin 8-44-2, Dunn 1-5, Bren 3-43, Team 6-(-21).

PASSING - Burb: Humphreys 22-37-1, 226 yards, 4 TDs; D-W: Dunn 8-15-2, 173 yards, 2 TDs.

RECEIVING - Burb: Jamison 12-105-2, Cole 1-15, Magallon 6-66-1, Rowden 3 40-1; DW: Crockett 3-83-1, Kitselman 1-14, French 3-46-1, Bren 1-30. 

Defense: Tackles - Martin 27, Dunn 11, Branson 11, T. Willis 9, Knowles 7, Philbrook 7, Crockett 6. INT - Crockett 1.