Central turned the ball over five times and came up empty on two last second throws to the end zone, eventually running out of time in a 37-31 loss at Coe Saturday afternoon in a game heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

The Dutch struck first with an 81-yard game-opening drive, capped by a Cooper Downs touchdown pass to Logan Mont, but the Kohawks picked off a pair of Central passes and scored 20 straight points to take the lead before the Dutch closed the gap with a fumble recovery in the end zone just before the half.

After getting a stop on the opening series of the third quarter, Central muffed the ensuing punt, leading to a short field and a Coe touchdown. The Dutch answered with a Downs TD pass to Carson Cummer, but he threw another interception on Central’s next drive and the Kohawks took advantage with another touchdown. Central answered again when Downs hit Jeff Herbers for a score, then the teams traded field goals midway through the fourth quarter and Coe held a six point lead.

Central’s defense forced punts on Coe’s final two possessions, but Downs was picked off on the penultimate drive for the Dutch, then threw an incompletion out of the back of the end zone on the final play of the game.

Downs was 38-of-64 for 436 yards and four touchdowns, while Herbers caught 15 passes for 174 yards and Mont grabbed 13 balls for 148 yards.

The Dutch fall to 5-3 on the season and 3-3 in the American Rivers Conference. They’ll play Luther next Saturday in the final home game of the season at Ron & Joyce Schipper Stadium.

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