The Newcomb Skyhawks were introduced to Dolores freshman Forrest Pejsa on Friday.

And early in the third quarter, Newcomb defensive back Nicholas Tsipai was individually greeted by the first year linebacker during a punt return.

It's most likely a meeting he'd rather forget.

As the Skyhawks punted from their own 37-yard line, Tsipai was the first Newcomb player off the line.

He tore downfield in pursuit of Dolores returnman Tristen Medina, who had taken Newcomb's previous punt 51 yards for a score.

But as soon as Tsipai crossed midfield, he was obliterated by Pejsa, who put the 145-pound player on his back in a hurry.

It was one of the many plays on the evening during which Pejsa dominated, on his way to a team-high 16 tackles, including six tackles for losses.

Pejsa and the Dolores defense hounded Newcomb relentlessly.

Sophomore Tylin Yarbrough swam, ripped and bulldozed through Newcomb's offensive line to blow up plays and pressure the quarterback, finishing with six tackles.

And sophomore Talon Zwicker patrolled the field from his linebacker position, recording 10 tackles.

"Our defensive line was attacking pretty good," said head coach Chris Trusler. "And then our linebackers, on blitzes, were making tackles in the backfield."

The Bears blanked the Skyhawks defensively, and offensively, they did as they pleased.

Tristen Medina showed out with his second consecutive game with three touchdowns - one rushing, one receiving and one on a punt return - and quarterback Jalen Balderrama threw more passes than he had all season.

"Against Newcomb, we wanted to show other teams, and ourselves, that we're able to pass the ball," Trusler said. "And we did a good job of that."

Balderrama was 16-26 for 169 yards and two touchdowns, one on a two-yard pass to Josh Corbitt and the other an 11-yard strike to Medina.

The Dolores backfield split carries again, as it has since running back Branden Donaldson went down with a broken collarbone in week one.

Balderrama rushed for 49 yards and a touchdown, Josh McCoy ran for 24 yards, Gage Reynolds had four carries for 14 yards, Zwicker ran for 38 yards and a score, and Medina had two carries and a touchdown.

But Trusler expects the backfield by committee to change against Salida on Friday.

"This week we're going to settle on one guy to lead the charge at halfback," he said. "And the other guys will sub in."

Trusler plans for senior Josh McCoy to get the bulk of the carries against Salida.

McCoy has 145 yards rushing on the season, but he's averaging a whopping 9.1 yards-per-carry.

He may have himself a heyday on Friday against a Salida defense that has allowed over 500 yards rushing in the last two weeks combined.

The Bears (2-1) and Spartans (1-2) will kickoff at 7 p.m. Friday at Salida High School.