Box Score HUTCHINSON, Kan. -- The ninth-ranked Dodge City Community College football team appeared primed to take its first lead of the game late in the third quarter as the Conquistadors had the ball at the Snow 20-yard line with the Salt City Bowl tied 14-14.
However, a fumble recovered by the third-ranked Badgers cut the drive short and was the start of the Conqs' struggles.
DC3 was outscored 24-0 in the fourth quarter with all four of Snow's scoring drives starting in Conq territory as DC3 fell in the Salt City Bowl 38-14 Saturday afternoon at Gowans Stadium.
"We had the ball on their 20 and were moving in for the go-ahead score," DC3 coach
Gary Thomas said. "... We had the right play call and it would've been a 10-yard gain, but we just put it on the ground. ...
"We had our chances - we just didn't make enough plays."
The Badgers (11-1) took control of the game when DC3 quarterback
Tommy Lazzaro made the right read on a read option and rushed down field eight yards. However at the end of the run, the ball was punched out of the freshman's grasp and recovered by Snow on the Dodge City 28.
On the next play quarterback Stefan Cantwell threw an overhand lateral out wide to Riley Richmond who then tossed it to an open Dalton Fackrell for a touchdown to give the Badgers a 21-14 lead with 9:58 left in the game.
The Conqs' next drive ended in a punt and was returned 43 yards to the Dodge 31. Snow turned it into a 27-yard field goal by Tyler Dudley to make it 24-14 with 6:11 remaining in the game.
DC3 (9-3) had its back against the wall at this point and turned it over on downs on its own 7 on its next possession. Cantwell scored for Snow on its first play of the possession to make it 31-14 with 4:56 left in the contest.
The Conqs, who lost the NJCAA's fourth-leading rusher and Florida commit
Mark Thompson to injury on the first drive of the game, dug themselves an early 14-0 hole before the offense got clicking in the second quarter.
Started by a 32-yard leaping reception by Jeff McInnis, DC3 drove to the Snow 2 before Lazzaro punched it in to cut the Badger lead to 14-7 with 8:12 left in the second quarter.
The DC3 defense forced a punt on Snow's next possession and again the Conqs put together a long scoring drive - highlighted by a key third-down pass by Lazzaro to McInnis for 20 yards and a 35-yard pass from Lazzaro to
Christian Booker to get the ball to the Snow 1. Lazzaro capped the drive with his second rushing touchdown to tie the game 14-14 with 12 seconds left in the half.
Lazzaro finished 16-for-28 passing for 177 yards while adding the two rushing touchdowns. McInnis was DC3's top receiver with seven catches for 87 yards while
Greg Scott had 13 carries for 44 yards to lead the Conqs.
However, the Conq offense was held to a season-low 222 yards.
Cantrell went 12-for-26 for Snow for 160 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 83 yards and another three scores - earning offensive MVP of the game. Hunter Marshall led the Badgers with four receptions for 72 yards and a score as they finished with 354 yards of offense.
Despite the loss, the Conqs still tied the school record for wins with nine (with the 1961 and 1957 teams) and won a piece of its first KJCCC title since 1983.
"I told the kids that this doesn't define our season," Thomas said. "We still won a conference championship and that can't be taken away. We still won nine games and that can't be taken away."
