Yuma High School’s football team will conclude the non-conference portion of its schedule Friday when it travels to Brush.
The Outlaws are 2-1 after returning from their bye week with a grind-it-out 8-3 win over Torrington, Wyoming, last Friday in their 2024 home debut.
They now are No. 9 in Class 1A in the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index.
Class 2A Brush is 0-3 after losing 28-0 to Wray last Friday at Beetdigger Stadium. Brush also has losses to Fort Morgan and University. However, the Beetdiggers did lay a 28-0 loss on Yuma last season in Brush.
A win would send the Outlaws into a daunting North Central Conference slate with a winning record. They are going to need all the wins they can get in order to qualify for the 16-team playoff field.
The North Central’s Wray is 4-0 and No. 3 in the Index, Limon is 3-0 andNo. 4, and Wiggins is 2-1 and No. 5. Burlington is No. 17 with a 1-2 record, and Holyoke sits at No. 19 with a 1-1 mark.
Wray is off this week before opening NCC play at Holyoke. Limon hosts No. 7 Buena Vista on Saturday. Wiggins is at 2A power Strasburg on Friday. Burlington hosts Denver Christian on Saturday afternoon, and Holyoke does not appear to have a game scheduled until the league opener on October 3.
The Outlaws engaged in a game-long slugfest the Torrington Trailblazers, who won Wyoming’s 2A title last season.
Defenses obviously dominated the game. The Outlaws finished with 162 total yards. They had 163 rushing, but were minus-1 in the pass game. Torrington finished with 152 total yards, 93 rushing and 59 passing.
Yuma came up with two interceptions, one each by Jonathan Thomson and Iann Duran. Torrington had one fumble recovery.
After a Yuma punt, Torrington marched downfield before the drive stalled at the Yuma 20-yard line. The Trailblazers’ Holden Hackett drilled a 37-yard field goal to give the visitors a 3-0 lead.
The teams then settled into a defensive struggle. They combined for only five punts, three by Yuma and two by Torrington, but neither could sustain drives resulting in points.
It stayed that way until about midway through the fourth quarter.
The Outlaws finally put together a drive that kept on going. The 66-yard drive eventually was capped by Thomson’s 13-yard touchdown run. He then connected with David Covarrubias for the 2-point conversion for an 8-3 lead. That was critical as Torrington boasted a good field-goal kicker.
Trailing by five, the Trailblazers had to score a touchdown. They drove downfield, but the Yuma defense eventually came up with short-yardage stops on third and fourth downs to preserve the victory.
Yuma has scored 64 points through its first three games, but 50 came in the win at Roaring Fork in Week 2. The defense has allowed 10 points in the last two games.
Thomson was in on nine total tackles, Adrian Carranza five, Covarrubias four, Ethan Nadow four, Jesus Gordo four, Reyli Trejo three, Christian Thomson three, James Brandner three, Duran two, Chrstian Munoz two, and Giovanni Segura one.
J. Thomson ran for 122 yards and the team’s only touchdown, while Daden Beauprez had 25 yards on eight carries, and Marvin Duarte 15 on four attempts.