Ulysses Overwhelms Colby

ULYSSES - The Colby Eagles struggled to slow down Ulysses’ explosive offense Friday night, falling 62-12 to the Tigers in a Great West Activities Conference matchup.

Ulysses used a dominant rushing attack and multiple Colby turnovers to build a 48-6 halftime lead. The Tigers finished with 431 total yards, including 269 on the ground, while Colby recorded 304 yards of offense.

The loss dropped Colby to 1-6 overall and 0-5 in GWAC play. The Eagles have lost five straight games and will return home next Friday for a senior night matchup against Scott City, with a playoff berth on the line.

Ulysses wasted little time taking control. The Tigers opened the game with a six-play, 64-yard drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown run from Stryker Berglund. After Colby turned the ball over on downs on its opening possession, Berglund broke loose for a 64-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 14-0.

The Tigers added another score after Neale Morrison threw an interception to defensive lineman Lucas Morphis, setting Ulysses up at the Colby 21-yard line. Berglund scored from 4 yards out to make it 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Colby continued to have trouble holding onto the football in the second quarter. After Morrison connected with Jensen Barnett for a 35-yard pass, Morrison fumbled while scrambling, giving possession back to Ulysses. The Tigers responded with a 1-yard touchdown run by Berglund to extend their lead.

Another Colby fumble, this time by Barnett, set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Corbin Lopez. Ulysses added another score after stopping a Colby fake punt attempt, with Josh Eddie connecting with Julian Garcia for a 4-yard touchdown pass.

The Eagles finally found the end zone late in the first half. Morrison capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Cates. However, Ulysses answered before halftime when Berglund caught a screen pass from Eddie and broke multiple tackles on his way to a 55-yard touchdown, giving the Tigers a 48-6 advantage.

Ulysses continued to add to its lead in the second half. Eddie scored on a 5-yard run in the third quarter and added a 31-yard touchdown run early in the fourth to push the score to 62-6.

Despite the deficit, Colby continued to fight. The Eagles converted three fourth-down attempts on their final drive, including a 46-yard trick-play pass from Ethan Reinert to Cates. Morrison then found Julian Salcido for a 5-yard touchdown pass as time expired, providing the final 62-12 margin.

Berglund led the Tigers with 141 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 14 carries. He also caught two passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. Eddie completed nine of 15 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

Morrison completed 11 of 19 passes for 155 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 37 yards on 14 carries. Cates finished with six receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown, while Wederski led Colby with 64 rushing yards on 14 carries.

Colby finished 3-for-12 on third down and 4-for-7 on fourth down. The Eagles will look to keep their postseason hopes alive when they host Scott City next Friday night.