The final home game of the season is Saturday for the Yuma High School football team.
It also will be the Tribe’s Homecoming game as the Wiggins Tigers visit for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
Yuma is 2-2, with a shot at a winning record in the six-game season, after claiming a 28-7 win at Burlington, last Saturday afternoon. Wiggins is 1-3 after dropping a 42-12 decision to top-ranked Limon, last Friday in Limon. The Tigers’ lone win came in the season opener over Bennett.
“They’re big and they’re strong,” Yuma coach Kelly Seward said of the Tigers. “We need to crank out some first downs, keep them in front of us on defense, and we should be all right.”
Wiggins features a balanced attack as the Tigers have gained about the same amount of yardage on the ground and through the air. Sophomore quarterback Cole Kerr leads the way with more than 300 yards passing and rushing through the first four games.
“He’s everything,” Seward said. “He’s their running back and their quarterback.”
Yuma counters with a double-wing attack that had players in new places last Saturday, notably junior Clay Robinson starting at quarterback, former quarterback Joey Ross at a halfback spot, and Yahir Trejo, who had played quarterback while Ross was out, featured at fullback.
It led to 313 rushing yards, including 240 by Robinson, but Yuma’s only passing attempt turned into a scramble.
However, Seward said the Indians were not one-dimensional, noting fullback Yahir Trejo had as nearly as many carries as Robinson, churning out nearly 100 yards. The offense also looked like it might get more out of its “4 back” spot, but Ross got nicked up early in the game and played sparingly on offense afterwards.
Seward said the change had nothing to do with the job Ross or Trejo did at quarterback, but rather gives the Indians more options.
“You saw how a personnel change can change this whole offense,” Seward said. He also noted that as the Indians get more practice time, the passing game should come around.
Limon and Wray both are 4-0 heading into the final two weeks of this truncated 2020 regular season.
Wray picked up a big win over Holyoke, 27-7, last Saturday afternoon at Powell Field.
The Eagles and Limon were scheduled for a major showdown Friday in Limon. However, Limon had to cancel due to COVID concerns. Wray now is going to play Class 2A power Platte Valley.
Holyoke is 3-1, Highland 2-2, and Burlington 0-3.
Last Saturday’s game was Burlington’s first since its season opener at Wray on October 8. One of the games the Cougars missed was against Holyoke.
Those two teams are making up for lost time this week.
Both played Saturday, then were making up their game Tuesday night in Burlington. Holyoke scored in the fourth quarter to eke out a 14-13 win. The Cougars then turn around and play Highland in Ault on Friday, giving them three games in less than a week. Holyoke was supposed to play its next game Saturday at The Pinnacle in the metro Denver area. However, it was announced The Pinnacle has had to forfeit that game, so actually Holyoke is 4-1, and has extra time to practice before its season finale
It is going to take some serious work, but Yuma could keep slim playoff hopes alive with wins over the next two weeks.
The NCC dominates the top of the Rating Percentage Index, as well as the 1A Top 10 poll. Limon is No. 1 in the RPI, Wray No. 4, Holyoke No. 6, Highland No. 11, Yuma No. 13, Wiggins No. 14, and Burlington No. 23.
In the Top 10 (CHSAANow.com polls), Limon is No. 1, Wray No. 4, Holyoke No. 8 and Highland No. 10.
“We beat Wiggins and we’re probably in the Top 10,” Seward said. “The problem is all those teams that are in front of us.”
The Indians’ unveiling of its new-look backfield was a success, last Saturday, as they rolled rather easily to the win in Burlington. It helped that the Cougars had not had much practice time in three weeks.
Still, Yuma played well in all facets, including an opportunistic defense that came up with five takeaways and two interceptions. Conversely, Yuma did not have a single turnover. Special teams also were solid, including a key 55-yard punt by Alex Lozano in the second half. He also made all four of his extra-point kicks.
The game started with Burlington picking up two first downs, but then fumbled at Yuma’s 45-yard line.
Yuma marched down the field capped by Robinson’s three-yard run.
Burlington was threatening when the Cougars lost another fumble at Yuma’s 26 midway through the second quarter.
The Indians took advantage again with a sustained drive, including converting a fourth-and-5 with a 14-yard run. Trejo finished the drive with a four-yard touchdown run up the middle.
The last few minutes of the first half essentially determined the game.
A long pass completion set up Burlington at the Indians’ 17-yard line. However, the Cougars lost another fumble on a pitch.
Yuma again capitalized, this time with Robinson ripping off an 82-yard touchdown run for a 21-0 lead.
Burlington finally hit paydirt on its next drive. First, the Cougars converted a fourth-down deep in its own territory, followed by quarterback’s Michael Gutierrez’s 64-yard touchdown run.
The Cougars threatened to score once more in the fourth with a first-and-goal from the eight-yard line. However, the Yuma defense rose up with a goal-line stand.
Burlington actually outgained the Indians, 318-313, passing for 111 yards and rushing for 207.
Robinson ran for 240 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries, and Trejo finished with 95 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Ross was injured early in the game and played sparingly after that, finishing with three yards rushing.
Defensively, Rigo Muela and Robinson both had an interception. Lars Sims and Kail Cooper each recovered a fumble, but unfortunately we do not have who had the third fumble recovery.
Robinson was in on seven total tackles, Ross five, Kail Cooper four, Aiden Blanco four, John Smith three, Muela three, Lane Remmich three, Kevin Hermosillo three, Brandon Mendoza two, Trejo two, Jesus Ross two, Louden Blach two, Jose Ruiz one, Juan Cortes one, J Gordo one, Victor Perez one and Sims one.
Gutierrez led Burlington with 139 rushing yards and 111 passing yards.
Noting that the Indians close out the season next Friday in Wray, Seward said, “The Wray game doesn’t matter (for the postseason) if we don’t take care of Wiggins first. We have to take it one game at a time.”
