Hornets can’t keep pace with Stanley-Boyd, fall 44-22
By Nathaniel Underwood
The Colby Hornets invited an old Cloverbelt conference foe, the Stanley-Boyd Orioles, into town for their 2024 opener last Friday night for a non-conference matchup to kick off the season. The Orioles gave the hosting Colby squad more than they could handle, using an effective passing attack to deal the Hornets a 44-22 loss.
While Colby’s defense was able to hold their own at points, holding Stanley-Boyd to 4.3 yards per carry and forcing three punts over the course of the contest, the Orioles were able to come up with enough big plays to get points on the board.
The Hornets had a few long pass plays of their own, but outside of their final drive of the third quarter, they struggled to put together sustained drives on offense. A stifling Stanley-Boyd front seven held the home team to just 3.3 yards per rush on 46 carries.
The Orioles got their 2024 started with a long bomb down the west sideline, Stanley- Boyd’s Carter Isenberger connecting with Cole Brenner for a 60-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Colby was able to keep things close for a good portion of the first half, but another touchdown pass from Isenberger gave the Orioles a 15-0 lead with a little under six minutes left in the second quarter.
With hopes of cutting it back to a one score game, the situation only got worse on the Hornets’ next drive. Stanley-Boyd forced a fumble that they were able to re-
See HORNET FOOTBALL/ Page 16
LOOKING FOR A RECEIVER - Senior quarterback Tayt Smith keeps his eyes downfield as he navigates around Oriole defenders. Smith went 5-for-9 passing and tossed three touchdown passes in the 44-22 loss.
STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
BREAKING TOWARDS DAYLIGHT - Dany Nunez breaks into the second level on his longest run of the evening, a scamper in the third quarter that set up his receiving touchdown a few plays later.
STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD Hornets football
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turn 38 yards for their third score of the contest. A twopoint conversion followed, giving the Orioles 23 unanswered points.
Needing something before the end of the half, Colby turned to the air themselves and finally found the endzone. Receiver Hayden Kaiser was able to speed past the defense and quarterback Tayt Smith hit him in stride for a 42-yard touchdown with just 11 seconds left in the second quarter.
Big pass plays continued to be the name of the game as the Orioles punched back with another long fade to open the second half. Once again, Isenberger was able to find his target as receiver Rudy Kletsch out ran the Hornets on his way in for Stanley-Boyd’s third passing touchdown. While Colby managed to stop the Orioles on the subsequent two-point attempt, they could not get much going on offense and Stanley-Boyd put together a solid, sustained drive on their next possession to make the score 37-6 with 5:09 left in the third quarter.
The Hornets’ offensive line opened up some holes on the following possession and the Colby backs were able to take advantage, getting solid runs from Smith, Chase Heeg and Dany Nunez as they marched down the field. Colby was able to cap it off just before the end of the quarter, with Smith finding Nunez all alone in the back of the endzone on a nine-yard pass for the Hornets’ second score of the evening.
After successfully getting the following two-point conversion, Colby still trailed by three possessions and with time running out, they needed their defense to come up with a stop. However, the Orioles’ offense continued to roll, and another touchdown with five minutes left all but secured their victory. Smith found Kaiser again on another deep pass as the game came to its close, this time hitting on a 32-yard pass for the combo’s second score of the contest, but with only two minutes left after the touchdown, the Hornets did not have the time necessary to come back.
Heeg led the team in rushing, picking up 42 yards on eight carries. Brennan Geiger had 39 yards on 13 carries, Smith picked up 34 yards on 13 carries and Nunez had 33 on eight carries. Smith went 5-for-9 passing for 90 yards and three touchdowns. Kaiser was on the receiving end of three of those passes, collecting 77 yards and two touchdowns while Nunez had one for nine yards and a touchdown and Geiger had one for four yards.
Smith led the team with six tackles, Jacob Hoppe added another five and Geiger, Will Hennes and Luke Hannula all finished with four each.
The Hornets will look to bounce back when they invite cross-town rival Abbotsford for a non-conference matchup this Friday, August 30. Colby came out on top the last time the two ex-conference rivals faced off, defeating the Falcons 49-14 in Abbotsford in 2023. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
SECURING THE CATCH - Hayden Kaiser reels in the Hornets’ first score of 2024, a 42-yard touchdown reception. STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
