Yuma High School’s girls basketball team enjoyed a great start to 2025.
The Outlaws returned from the holiday break last Saturday with a 58-16 romp over Liberty Common on a cold and icy Saturday afternoon in the warmth of The Pit.
They improved to 5-2 and now are 1-0 in the 3A Patriot League. They entered this week No. 13 in 3A in the initial CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index that was released Monday.
Yuma now enters the 2A realm this weekend, hosting Akron on Saturday before traveling southwest Saturday at Simla.
The Rams have started the season 5-2 and are No. 11 in the 2A Index. Simla is among the top teams in the classification, sitting at 4-1 and No. 3 in the Index.
“Both Akron and Simla are off to a great start,” Yuma coach Jeremy Robinson said. “It’s going to be a great two-game test. Akron has a new coach (Kilee Randel) and it looks like she is doing a great job. Simla is very big and talented, and well coached. We can’t make any mistakes these next two games if we are going to win.”
Yuma had little trouble last Saturday against a Liberty Common squad that had made the long trip from Fort Collins.
The Outlaws led 13-4 by the end of the first quarter, and scored the first 11 points of the second, leading 26-7 at halftime.
It was more of the same in the second half as the Outlaws did not allow more than five points in a quarter, and finished the game with a 17-point fourth quarter.
“For our first game back, I was pleased,” Robinson said. “We had great participation at practice over break, and I think it showed. We still have things to clean up, but overall I’m pleased.”
Yuma made just four of 14 on 3-pointers but shot 48 percent (20 for 42) inside the arc. The Outlaws came up with 23 steals, while dishing out 20 assists and committing just 17 turnovers.
The Nighswonger sisters combined for 30 points. Junior Bailey had a career high with 17 points, along with five steals and three assists. Sophomore Berkley had 13 points, four steals and three rebounds. Sophomore Taryn Sheffield made three of six from long range, finishing with 11 points, along with six rebounds, six assists and five steals. Carolina Ross had seven points, four steals and three rebounds, Jade Lungwitz seven points, five assists and three rebounds, Laisha Loya three points and two rebounds, Aubrey Black five rebounds and three assists, and Wendy Garcia one rebound.