Anderson leads Colts defense in thriller

Braydon Anderson and the Cottonwood defense kept Olympus at bay for three quarters, and the offense finished the job in the fourth during a 19-16 thriller Friday night at Cottonwood High School.

Colts defensive end Anderson frequently made himself welcome in the Titans' backfield, recovering a fumble halfway through the first quarter that gave the Colts the ball deep in Olympus territory. After the Titans' drive ended on a fourth-and-goal from the six, Anderson found a way to put the Colts on the scoreboard anyway, tackling Olympus running back Zach Taylor in the end zone for the safety and two points. Kicker Mario Duvnjak would add a field goal early in the second to make the lead 5-0.

Five consecutive incomplete passes and a critical interference call later, Young took a chance on a long ball with less than a minute left in the half. Receiver Jordan Price stole the ball from the grasp of Colts defensive back Finau Lomu, then sprinted into the endzone to put the Titans ahead, 6-5. Despite a 43-yard dash into Olympus territory by Isi Sofele, the lead would carry into halftime.

Tom Dowdle kicked another field goal for Cottonwood in the third for a 9-5 lead, setting the stage for a dramatic fourth quarter — where the offenses would finally steal the show.

On the second play of the quarter, Colts quarterback Austin Wadsworth spun past two rushing Titans, rolled to his right and threw a bullet to a wide open Rich Tukuafu, who completed the 51-yard touchdown with a sprint to the endzone.

Olympus would answer back with an 80-yard dash through the gut of the Colts' defense by Young, giving the Titans a 16-9 lead after the extra point. Two series later, Cottonwood's Lomu returned a punt 75 yards to the Titans' 24. Five plays later, Isi Sofele punched it in at the goal line to earn back the lead, 19-16.

The Titans would have one last shot with less than a minute left, but Young's pass was picked off by Tukuafu, guaranteeing the Colts their first league win.

"We gave up a couple of big plays, but they kept us in the game and gave us an opportunity to win in the end," Cottonwood coach Tom Jones said after the game. "Braydon Anderson was a leader tonight."