A quick glance at the team records in this year’s Whitney High football program shows that senior running back Zack Graves’ legs have churned up more than just a few opponents in his two-year varsity career.

But Friday night, in a battle of the two defending co-Pioneer Valley League champions from a year ago, while Graves’ rushing antics proved too much for Colfax to handle, it was his right arm that broke the Falcons’ heart.

In a game that was a tale of two halves, Graves blasted over from a yard out for the go-ahead touchdown with just 40 seconds to play to provide the difference in a thrilling 34-27 win over the upset-minded Falcons at Whitney.

Leading 26-7 at halftime, the Wildcats were outplayed by the Falcons in the final two quarters as Colfax stunned the hosts by reeling off 20 unanswered points that boosted the Falcons into a 27-26 lead with 10:29 to play.

And when the Falcons defense stiffened and forced a Whitney punt with just over five minutes to go, the home fans were starting to get uneasy and the prospects of the Falcons handing the hosts their first loss of the season improved.

Riding the right arm of quarterback Spencer Lewis, who hit on 24-of-32 passes on the night for 278 yards, the Falcons picked up two first downs on their ensuing possession and shaved two and a half minutes off the clock before punting the ball back to the Wildcats at their own 27.

Getting the ball back with 3:04 to play, Whitney then proceeded to pick up two first downs with quarterback Charlie Hetland first hitting Taylor Irwin for 12 yards before finding Jake Snyder for a huge 26-yard pick up to the Colfax 29.

But the play of the night was still to come.

With Graves taking direct snaps as the tailback in Whitney’s spread offense, the versatile senior hadn’t tried a pass all evening.

However, now at the Colfax 29 and with the clock under two minutes to play, Graves took the snap, started left, was hemmed in by a bevy of Colfax tacklers and almost slipped down before letting a throw loose up the sideline.

From there, receiver Reese Major, made a diving catch for a 25-yard pick up and a first down at the Colfax four.

The Falcons, who surrendered 211 yards to Graves on 20 carries in the first half, stopped Graves twice on the next two plays for just three yards before he plowed over from a yard out on third down to make the score 32-27.

Hetland then hit Snyder for a two-point conversion pass and the 34-27 margin.

Following Whitney’s score, Colfax managed to get the ball to their own 45 before Lewis’ final gasp pass was intercepted at the goal line as time expired.

Graves finished the game with 230 yards on 28 carries and scored four touchdowns. Taylor Irwin’s 21-yard run accounted for Whitney’s other score.

Colfax’s Jeff Divine was a standout for Colfax catching 11 passes for 120 yards and one touchdown.

Whitney (5-0, 2-0) plays at Bear River next Friday while Colfax (2-30, 0-2) will host Mesa Verde.

Junior Varsity

Colfax 34, Whitney 32

In a wild contest, the Falcons rallied from a 14-6 halftime deficit to out-gun the Wildcats in the second half.

Colfax running backs Josh Moreno (12x178) and Conner Brown (14x87) formed a formidable 1-2 rushing punch for the Falcons who improved to 2-0 in Pioneer Valley League games.

Quarterback Avery Baccala was also a factor for the Falcons as he hit on 10-of-14 passes for 116 yards including touchdowns of 26 yards to Alan Meyers and 22 yards to Chase Mosier.