Colusa draws blank at Willows

The opening game of the football season is a good barometer to find out what works and what doesn't, before heading back to the old chalkboard to draw it up differently.

After Colusa High's 44-0 whitewashing at the hands of host Willows Friday, Redskins coach Randy Watt might run out of chalk.

Colusa was unable to get anything going offensively, finishing with less than 150 yards of total offense, and coughing up the ball four times. Three came by way of first-half fumbles, and the fourth was on a fumble on the second-half kickoff.

They were also penalized 15 yards for roughing the passer in the third quarter, keeping alive a 13-play Willows scoring drive that made the score 37-0.

Willows opened up a 23-0 lead at the break, with a 33-yard scoring toss from Ryan Welsh to Zach Hampel; a 6-yard run by A.J. Wagenman; and field goals of 43, 22 and 30 yards by Fabian Reynoso.

In the second half, Nolan Barnes and Jake Groteguth both took it over from two yards out; and Groteguth broke a 77-yard TD run to cap the scoring.

The Redskins never got closer to the end zone than the Willows 32-yard line on their final drive as the clock ran out.

Colusa (0-1) hosts Live Oak this Friday.

Contact Craig Purcell at 824-1036 or cpurcell@tcnpress.com.