4A high school football: Cottonwood defense steps up at clutch time

In a season full of big plays and bigger wins, the Cottonwood Colts' entire undefeated season came down to a single tackle and two yards.

On fourth-and-2 at the five-yard line, Pine View quarterback Justin Ence attempted to do what he'd done so well in the second half of the Panthers' semifinal game against Cottonwood on Friday — run the football.

Colts senior linebacker Jason Bilanzich, who has anchored the defense all season long, made the tackle on Ence just inches from the first-down marker with 3:08 left in the game.

Ence ran for 114 yards in the second half after earning just 30 yards on the ground in the first half.

"I was nervous," said running back Isi Sofele, who scored all three of Cottonwood's touchdowns in the 19-14 win that gives the Colts a berth into the 4A championship game next Friday. "I felt like we relaxed a little. ... But the defense did a great job stopping (them)."

John Martinez, who just returned to action last week after missing more than a month due to a knee injury, even got in on that last series as a defensive lineman.

"I'm not going to lie," said Martinez, "that last play kind of killed me.... But it's so nice to be back."

The Panthers struggled offensively in the first half, due in large part to the Colts' defense. But both coaches and players said the changes Pine View made in the second half made a difference.

Cole Peraza said the defense struggled at times to contain the Panthers' running game, which totaled 233 yards to Cottonwood's 199 yards.

"They made some adjustments, and their O-line did a a good job," he said. "We struggled a little with the run game, but we just kept working hard."

That's all Cottonwood head coach Cecil Thomas could ask in a game many expected them to dominate.

"You can't count the first time," Thomas said of Cottonwood's 52-23 win over Pine View in preseason play. "We knew they would come up here ready to play football.... Their offensive line did a great job. We've got to get better up front for next week."

In earning a win Friday, the Colts will play for their first state title under Thomas. He said the way the defense made a huge play when it had to says a lot about what kind of team the Colts are.

"It's a tribute to our coaches and our players that they found a way to make a play when we had to," he said.

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