Demons erase nine-point halftime deficit, score 18 unanswered points to hand Raiders their first loss of the season.
The Dumas Demons weren't supposed to be the team celebrating Thursday night at Happy State Bank Stadium in Canyon. Not against an unbeaten Randall squad with district championship aspirations. Not after a frustrating first half. And certainly not after a season filled with injuries and tough losses.
But somebody forgot to tell the Demons.
Dumas delivered one of the biggest surprises of the Texas Panhandle football season, storming back from a nine-point halftime deficit to stun previously unbeaten Randall, 28-19, in a District 2-4A Division I showdown.
The Demons scored 18 unanswered second-half points, snapped a four-game losing streak and picked up their first victory over the Raiders since 2017, ending an eight-game drought in the series.
For a Dumas team that entered the season dealing with injuries to eight starters, Thursday night's victory was about more than the scoreboard. It was a reward for a group that refused to throw in the towel when things got tough.
And senior quarterback Colton Mills made sure the Demons finished the job.
Colton Mills Sparks Dumas Comeback
Mills was the difference-maker when Dumas needed him most.
The senior quarterback completed 8 of 12 passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns while adding 90 rushing yards and another score on just nine carries.
But his biggest contribution might have been keeping the Demons believing when Randall appeared to have control of the game.
Trailing 19-10 at halftime, Dumas came out of the locker room looking like a completely different football team.
The Demons began chipping away at Randall's lead with a 22-yard field goal from junior kicker Christian Saldana midway through the third quarter. Junior fullback Kelton Dill helped power the possession with several tough runs, although the Raiders managed to keep Dumas out of the end zone.
That defensive stand only delayed the inevitable.
With 3:23 remaining in the third quarter, Mills threaded a beautiful 19-yard touchdown pass between two Randall defenders to junior receiver Tate Dunnam.
The score gave Dumas a 20-19 advantage, and suddenly the Raiders were the ones playing from behind.
The Mills-to-Dunnam connection was no accident. The two have spent countless hours working together in practice, and that chemistry paid off in a big moment.
Dunnam finished with six receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown. He also made his presence felt defensively, recording five tackles and an interception.
The Demons weren't finished.
With Randall desperately searching for an answer, Dumas put together a nine-play, 65-yard touchdown drive that delivered the knockout punch.
Mills capped the march with a perfectly placed pass to senior receiver Haziel Lozoya in the corner of the end zone with 4:05 remaining.
Dumas went for two, and Mills found Dunnam again to stretch the lead to 28-19.
Just like that, the Demons had turned a nine-point halftime deficit into a nine-point advantage.
Randall Looked Ready to Roll Early
For much of the first half, it appeared Randall would keep its perfect season intact.
Dumas actually struck first after Tate Dunnam intercepted a pass and gave the Demons an early opportunity. Saldana capitalized with a 40-yard field goal, putting Dumas ahead 3-0.
Randall answered with the kind of physical, clock-consuming drive that had helped make the Raiders one of the area's top teams.
Senior running back Drayden Ray finished the possession with a two-yard touchdown run, giving Randall a 7-3 lead late in the opening quarter.
Sophomore quarterback Hendrix Funk helped keep the drive alive with a 29-yard completion to junior receiver Kash Funk.
The Raiders continued building momentum when junior defensive back Koba Baccas made a leaping interception late in the first quarter.
Randall eventually extended its advantage to 10-3 on a 46-yard field goal from Jacob Avalos midway through the second quarter.
But Dumas had an answer.
Mills fooled the Randall defense on a read-option play, kept the football and raced 65 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. Saldana's extra point tied the contest at 10-10.
Then came a wild sequence that appeared to swing the game firmly in Randall's favor.
With less than two minutes remaining before halftime, a Dumas snap sailed over Saldana's head on a fourth-down play. The football rolled out of the back of the end zone for a safety, handing Randall a 12-10 lead.
The Raiders took advantage of the ensuing possession.
Facing fourth-and-four, Hendrix Funk connected with senior receiver Phoenix Sherwood, who turned the play into a spectacular 40-yard touchdown. Sherwood made a move inside, broke free from the defense and dove toward the pylon to finish the play.
In less than a minute, Randall had turned a tie game into a 19-10 advantage.
With the Raiders holding Dumas to just 76 total yards in the first half, things were looking pretty good for the home team.
Unfortunately for Randall, there were still two quarters left to play.
Dumas Defense Slams the Door
While Mills and the Dumas offense grabbed the headlines, the Demons' defense deserves plenty of credit for the comeback.
After surrendering 19 first-half points, Dumas pitched a second-half shutout against a Randall offense that had been difficult to stop throughout the season.
The Raiders had opportunities to regain control, but the Demons delivered when it mattered.
Following Dumas' go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter, Randall put together a promising drive behind hard running from Ray and senior Danny Nunez.
The Raiders converted a fourth-and-two and moved into Dumas territory before the drive stalled on downs at the Demons' 35-yard line.
Dumas immediately turned that defensive stop into its final touchdown drive.
Randall mounted one last push in the closing minutes, including a fourth-down completion from Hendrix Funk to Kash Funk that kept the Raiders' hopes alive.
But an intentional grounding penalty and two incomplete passes ended the threat.
Senior linebacker Blaise Williams delivered the final defensive statement, knocking down Randall's last pass attempt.
Williams led the Dumas defense with 8.5 tackles, while senior Kayson Benge added eight.
For a defense that had been tested throughout the season, shutting out an unbeaten opponent in the second half was quite a statement.
Raiders Suffer First Setback
Randall entered Thursday night's showdown with a 6-0 record and plenty of momentum.
The Raiders left with their first loss and a reminder that nothing comes easy in District 2-4A Division I.
Hendrix Funk finished 11-of-20 passing for 126 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Ray carried the football 28 times for 92 yards and a touchdown, continuing to provide the physical rushing attack Randall has relied on throughout the season.
Sherwood led the receiving effort with six catches for 72 yards and a score, while Kash Funk added three receptions for 33 yards.
Randall head coach Dan Sherwood took responsibility for his team's second-half struggles, acknowledging that the Raiders lost some of their edge after building the halftime lead.
The loss doesn't erase Randall's impressive start, but it certainly changes the district championship picture.
At 6-1 overall and 1-1 in district play, the Raiders still have plenty to play for.
They'll just have to regroup quickly.
Demons Show What They're Made Of
For Dumas head coach Aaron Dunnam, Thursday's victory was a testament to perseverance.
The Demons have dealt with a difficult season, including significant injuries and a four-game losing streak that tested the team's confidence.
But Dunnam has continued emphasizing preparation, improvement and fighting through adversity rather than focusing entirely on wins and losses.
That approach paid off against Randall.
Dumas didn't panic after falling behind. The Demons stayed aggressive, executed in the second half and made the plays necessary to pull off the upset.
Dill added 73 rushing yards on 15 carries, providing an important physical presence alongside Mills.
Tate Dunnam also turned in one of the night's most complete performances, making big plays on both sides of the football despite working through his own physical challenges during the season.
The victory improved Dumas to 2-5 overall and 1-1 in district competition.
That record might not jump off the page, but Thursday's performance showed the Demons are capable of competing with anyone in the district.
