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Delta KOs Demons

Phil Sandoval Post Independent Staff

Wacky.How else can Glenwood Springs’ 47-26 loss to Delta Friday night be described or explained?Given a chance, albeit a slim one, to earn a playoff berth with a win over the 2-7 Panthers, the Demons seemingly looked for ways to shoot themselves in the foot.The problems began earlier this week when a number of starters were suspended from participation for breaking a school rule. Except for one bright spot when Glenwood took a short-lived 19-18 third quarter lead on a five-yard Dakota Stonehouse to Connor Riley touchdown pass, the rest of the contest wasn’t a lot of fun for the Demons.Delta, saddled with a three-game losing streak and out of playoff contention, ran the Demons silly.Running backs Ricky Colton and Luke Schmaltz rushed for 302 of the Panthers’ 370 yards rushing over Glenwood’s restructured patchwork defense, which featured a host of inexperienced players.Colton struck the first blow. The Panther senior’s one-yard run capped a 10 play, 65-yard scoring drive for the game’s first touchdown.Delta added six more TDs – five on the ground – before the gun sounded. Luke Schmaltz, who racked up 146 yards rushing on 13 carriers, raised the margin to 12-0 on a 19-yard run midway in the second quarter. The senior found the end zone for the second of three touchdowns he’d have in the contest when he zipped in from 40 yards out just before halftime.Between those scores, Stonehouse threw TD passes of 21 and 26 yards to Connor Riley and Kevin Screen to stay close. Down 18-13 at halftime, Glenwood maneuvered inside Delta’s 10-yard line twice on its opening possessions of the third quarter – only to turn the ball over on downs both times when the Demons failed to convert on fourth down and short-yardage plays.Stonehouse provided the key play of Glenwood’s go-ahead score when he ran the ball down from Delta’s 21 to the two-yard line. Even after getting that close, scoring wasn’t easy.The Demons lost yardage on the following play. And needed help in the form of a Delta offside penalty before Stonehouse hit Riley for Glenwood’s only lead.Schmaltz and Colton sealed the Demons’ fate when they scored three times in the Panthers’ next three possessions.Schmaltz chewed up 77 yards – the game’s single largest gain – after the kickoff for another Delta touchdown. The play gave Delta the lead for good. Colton TD runs of five and 20 yards afterwards upped the Panthers’ lead to 40-19. Stonehouse hit Riley from two yards out for Glenwood’s final score of the 2006 season with 2:53 remaining in the fourth quarter.With the loss the Demons were knocked out of playoff contention and ended their season with a 4-6 overall record and a 3-5 Western Slope League mark.


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