DeShaun Davis rushed for 277 yards and two touchdowns as seventh-seeded Florence upset number-two Snowflake 42-28 in the quarterfinals of the Division IV playoffs Saturday at North Canyon High School. Davis had 33 carries on the night, including a go-ahead 35-yard TD run with 1:13 to go in the fourth quarter that put the Gophers up 35-28. A fumble on the next Snowflake drive resulted in a seven-yard TD run by Florence quarterback Nick Brown that sealed the win for the Gophers.

Brown ended with three rushing scores while going just 5-of-12 for 79 yards passing. The junior signal caller also had 12 carries for 35 yards. The Gophers are headed to the semifinals for the third straight year but is in search of their first trip to the title game. They will face third-seeded Show Low this coming Saturday at North Canyon. Kickoff is at 3pm. Lakeside Blue Ridge will meet Seton Catholic in the other semi at 7pm, also at North Canyon.

After falling behind 6-0, Florence scored three consecutive touchdowns to take a 21-6 lead with 5:21 to go in the first half. Snowflake answered before halftime, as quarterback Chase Walden ran in from two yards out at the 2:34 mark. The Lobos converted the two-point conversion, making it a 21-14 game at the half.

Florence fumbled on its first possession of the second half, and Brit Smith scored from 17 yards out as Snowflake tied the game at 21. The Lobos then put together a 69-yard drive to take their first lead since early in the first quarter at 28-21 with 4:34 left in the third. Florence answered right back, however, and tied the game once again at 28 with a one-yard score by Alan Jones with 8:54 left in the fourth quarter.

Snowflake would be forced to punt on its next drive, and Florence marched down the field 72 yards capped off by Davis’ 35-yard TD run that gave the Gophers the lead for good. During the game-deciding drive, the Lobos converted a huge 3^rd down and 7 with an amazing one-handed catch by Davis. Brown then found Harrison Parker for a first down on 4^th-and-7 that moved the Gophers to the Lobs 35 with 1:38 to go. Davis scored the decisive TD on the following play.

Walden finished with 23 carries for 168 yards and three TDs. He was just 4-of-16 for 31 yards passing. Walden did have a 53-yard touchdown run called back on the Lobos’ first possession of the game due to a penalty. The team later fumbled on a hand-off exchange in Florence territory. The Gophers went on to put up 21 straight points. Snowflake ends its season at 10-and-2 overall. Its only other loss was to top-ranked Blue Ridge in early September.

Thomas Jenkins