8-man football: No. 2 Dove Creek defeats No. 4 Simla to capture program’s first title

PUEBLO – In its first-ever appearance in the 8-man state championship game, the Dove Creek football team didn’t squander the opportunity.

On Friday night at the CSU-Pueblo Thunderbowl, the second-seeded Bulldogs won 26-21 over No. 4 Simla and captured their program’s first state championship in the sport. Though it was their program’s first time playing in the state title game, the Bulldogs certainly looked as though they had been there a time or two before.

“It’s just such a good group of kids,” Dove Creek head coach Shane Baughman said. “They’re good students in school, they’re high-character kids and they come from good families. When you get that kind of a combination and good athletes as well, that’s what can happen.”

Both teams entered Friday’s game with matching unbeaten records.

Gage Buffington kicked off the scoring with an 80-yard run on his first carry of the game. Kendall Gardner also scored a rushing touchdown in the first half and Buffington caught a touchdown pass from Kade Hankins to give Dove Creek (13-0) a 20-0 lead at halftime.

“All season, we’ve been playing with heart,” said Gage Buffington, who was named the Most Outstanding Player by the National Football Foundation following the game. “We never gave up on each other and we always have each other’s back. I just saw that again tonight, over and over and over throughout the game.”

The Cubs (12-1) didn’t get on the board until sophomore tailback TJ Eurich scored with 4 minutes, 55 seconds left in the third quarter. The Dove Creek offense responded, however, with Hankins punching in a touchdown from one yard out to keep push Dove Creek’s lead back to 20.

With Simla driving in the Dove Creek redzone, Audric Chadd recovered a fumble to give the ball back to Dove Creek and it appeared the Bulldogs would cruise to victory. The Cubs, however, managed to score twice in the final 1 minute, 10 seconds with Caston Cox throwing touchdown passes to Eurich and Bradyen Glover to make the final a five-point game.

“Boy, Simla didn’t have any quit,” Baughman said. “It was a tough finish. Congratulations to them because those kids fought the whole game and never did stop. That’s a pretty resilient group that Coach Guy has.”

Buffington finished with 11 carries for 132 yards, unofficially. Hankins 18 carries for 134 yards.

Reaching the title game with a surprising victory in the semifinals, the Cubs defeated heavy favorite No. 1 Haxtun in an upset victory that snapped a 26-game win streak for Haxtun.

“We’re probably the team that’s not supposed to be here,” Simla head coach David Guy said at the Championship Luncheon on Monday. “Maybe we’re like the Wedding Crashers and we just show up whether we’re supposed to be there or not. It’s a tremendous honor for us to make it this far. In 8-man football, there’s 42 teams and there are just two left. We are truly a player-led team, so I truly appreciate that.”

The Cubs last won the title in 1985 when the Simla football team when won five championships in six years from 1980-85.