Bonanza rallies to top Durango

Bonanza was well-prepared for how to react after blowing an early lead to fall behind Durango in the third quarter Friday night.

It's a situation the Bengals had found themselves in twice this season. Bonanza let early leads slip away before rallying to defeat Silverado and Sierra Vista.

The Bengals rallied yet again to remain unbeaten with a 38-29 road victory over Durango.

"We come out with enthusiasm, and then it kind of drops, but we can get it right back," Bonanza junior quarterback Brett Doyle said. "We're a good team like that."

Doyle connected on a 28-yard touchdown pass to Colton Bennion with 1:06 left in the third quarter to put the Bengals (4-0, 3-0 Southwest) up for good after the Trailblazers (1-3, 1-2) erased a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to take a 22-21 lead.

Jayveon Taylor, who ran for 117 yards on 13 carries, sprinted down the right sideline for a 57-yard score early in the fourth quarter to boost the lead.

"I guess we come out of halftime winning, and we just think the game is over," Taylor said of the letdowns. "But we picked it up and got the win."

After Gene Germain scored on a 16-yard run midway through the final period to cut Durango's deficit to 35-29, the Trailblazers forced a punt and would have had a chance to drive for the go-ahead score.

Marques Herrera fumbled the return, though, setting up a 44-yard field goal by Bonanza's Austin Rowe with 1:36 left.

"We lost the lead in three out of our four games, and we've come back to win all of them," Bonanza coach Shawn Dupris said. "I've got to give the credit to the boys. They just don't quit. It's that never-say-die attitude they have."

After Taylor's 99-yard opening kickoff return was called back for holding, Bonanza capped an 11-play, 97-yard drive with a 3-yard TD run by Doyle.

Andrew Bigger scored on a 2-yard run late in the quarter for the Bengals.

Arie McQuaig answered with two second-quarter touchdown runs for the Trailblazers, but he missed one of the extra points.

Carlos Soto scored from 5 yards with less than a minute left before halftime to give Bonanza a 21-13 edge.

"We didn't quit. We just fought, fought, fought," Dupris said. "We've been trying to get over the hump of winning close games the last three years."

Taylor said a 74-28 loss to Durango last season motivated the Bengals.

"This is a big, big win," he said. "Last year, they beat us like 70-20-something. We said, 'This year, they ain't doing none of that.' "

Durango grabbed the lead midway through the third quarter. After a Bonanza fumble in the backfield, offensive lineman Jordan Nakata prevented a Trailblazers touchdown by recovering the ball in the end zone for a safety. On the ensuing possession, Herrera scored on a 6-yard pass from Hunter Knight to put Durango in front.

The lead was short-lived as Bennion's touchdown reception came on the next possession.

Doyle completed 12 of 21 passes for 170 yards. Bennion had six catches for 115 yards.

Knight was 14 for 24 passing for 132 yards but was intercepted three times.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.