Yuma High School’s football team keeps sliding down the playoff ladder after opening North Central Conference play with two losses.
The Outlaws now are 3-3, 0-2 in conference play, entering Saturday afternoon’s homecoming game against Holyoke. They are No. 15 this week in the Class 1A CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index following last Friday’s 27-6 loss at Wiggins. They were in the Top 10 after going 3-1 in non-conference play.
However, the sledding has been tough in the North Central, following the 20-12 loss at Burlington two weeks ago with the setback at Wiggins.
At least it was the Outlaws’ final road game of the season, having played five of their first six away from Y-town. They play their last three at home, but the road does not get any easier as No. 7 Holyoke comes to town, followed by No. 2 Wray and No. 4 Limon to close out the regular season. Wiggins, also 3-3, is No. 5 in the Index. Burlington, 3-3, has moved up to No. 10.
Holyoke played only two non-conference games due to scheduling issues. The Dragons returned to action in nearly three weeks with a 49-7 home loss to Wray two weeks ago. However, they seemed to have knocked off the rust as they won 20-17 at Limon last Friday. They jumped 10 spots in the Index with the win.
It appears Limon, 5-1 and 2-1, finally might be a bit vulnerable, barely edging Wiggins at home 21-19 in the conference opener two weeks ago, then losing at home to Holyoke.
It also appears Wray is primed for a deep run into November. The Eagles, 6-0 and 2-0, followed up the win at Burlington with a 49-6 dismantling of Burlington last Saturday at Powell Field. The Eagles have scored more than 40 points in five of their six games, the exception being a 28-0 win at Brush last month.
Wray hosts Limon on Friday night in the key game to date in the North Central, while Burlington hosts Wiggins.
The Outlaws again had opportunities last Friday at Wiggins, but could not string together enough plays to pull out the win.
Yuma finished with 205 total yards, 124 rushing and 81 passing. Wiggins had 345 total yards, including 283 on the ground as the Tigers averaged 6.7 yards per run. Yuma averaged 3.5 yards.
Wiggins drove downfield on its first possession, capped with a 30-yard touchdown pass from JR Meyer to Michael Adamson. The extra point gave Wiggins at 7-0 lead.
The Tigers continued to dominate the first quarter. However, Yuma was able to break through early in the second on Christian Thomson’s three-yard touchdown run. The extra-point was missed, leaving Yuma trailing 7-6.
Wiggins was able to answer before halftime with a 35-yard touchdown run. The extra point made it 14-6, Tigers.
Yuma, though, was able to stay within one score as neither team scored in the third quarter.
However, Wiggins iced it away with two short touchdown runs in the fourth quarter.
Yuma has been held to two touchdowns or less in four of its first six games, including an 8-3 win over Torrington, Wyoming, in its only home game to date.
Yuma quarterback Jonathan Thomson did throw 13 times last Friday, but completed only four for 81 yards and had two interceptions. Wiggins completed four of five for 62 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Christian Thomson had one catch for 34 yards, Iann Duran one for 31, Reyli Trejo one for 10, and Marvin Duarte one for six. C. Thomson ran for 46 yards and a touchdown, J. Thomson 45 yards, Adrian Carranza 14 yards, Daden Beauprez 11 yards and Duarte eight yards.
Defensively, Duran had an acrobatic interception, and Jesus Gordo recovered a fumble, both coming in the first quarter. J. Thomson was in on 12 total tackles, Carranza eight, Duran six, C. Thomson six, Trejo six, Gordo five, Duarte four, Beauprez two, Christian Munoz two, James Brandner two, and Ethan Nadow, Dallas Brunk, Brodie Kallweit, Jose Mario Ross, Givoanni Segura, Lief Sims and Tanner Himes one each.