A year after going 7-4 for their first winning season since 2006, the Fort Lewis College football team wrapped up the 2016 season with a 4-7 record.
That 2006 FLC winning team was coached by Ed Rifilato, who also led this year’s team in his first year of a second term leading the Skyhawks. He replaced famed coach John L. Smith, who attempted a rebuild of the FLC program over the course of three seasons.
With a few new faces, primarily at the quarterback position, the Skyhawks rode a three-game winning streak into the final game of the season at Dixie State in St. George, Utah.
FLC went down 16-0 at halftime that was symbolic of the first half of the season. Also symbolic was the team’s second-half comeback that proved to be a little too little too late.
“We’ve got a group that worked so hard. They’re a bunch of good men out there,” Rifilato said.
Dixie State won 16-14, with a safety thanks to a blocked punt in the Fort Lewis end zone ultimately the difference on the scoreboard.
After going down 14-0 on touchdown runs of 36 yards and 1 yard by DeJon Coleman, the safety came when Orlando Wallace beat the punt coverage and blocked Joseph Cavale’s kick.
DeJon Coleman’s first TD was set up by a Fort Lewis fumble on the opening drive, as sophomore quarterback Bo Coleman lost control of the ball.
Bo Coleman led the Skyhawks back in the second half with a 3-yard TD run and a 67-yard TD pass to Arealous Hughes, his favorite deep-ball weapon all season. But FLC couldn’t convert two 2-point conversions in the game to tie it up after Bo Coleman had ran for 2 after his first rushing score.
Bo Coleman was held to 5-of-13 passing for 144 yards. He also rushed for 73 yards. Drake Griffin, who last week surpassed the single-season rushing record for FLC, ran for 83 yards on 16 carries.
PJ Hall also ran 11 times for 40. He will return as a senior next year but for the first time since he was a freshman won’t return as the team’s leading rusher from the previous season.
“We had great signs from PJ,” Rifilato said. “Something we hadn’t in awhile and talked to him after the game, and he said it was the first time he felt normal again. He’s been real banged up the whole year.”
Rifilato is encouraged by the group of returning players. But FLC will lose 18 seniors who were part of the program’s turnaround under Smith. Rifilato pointed at holes at linebacker and safety as well as the need for some offensive linemen who saw time late this year to be dependable starters next season.
Among the seniors he pointed out were Griffin and Jordan Gillen, a Durango High School alum who finished his Skyhawks career Saturday. The high school quarterback turned wide receiver had a special FLC career that included a game-winning pass against eventual national champion CSU-Pueblo in 2014.
But Rifilato is excited about the development of Bo Coleman, who will be a redshirt junior next season. He showed flashes of brilliance at times this season and will be an exciting player to watch the next two years.
“He’s gotten nine games better now, and he’s gonna be a great one next year,” Rifilato said. “He’s such a leader, but he’s trying to find his way. Every game was a new experience, but now he will have a full offseason to study and get bigger.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
