It is going to be a cold ending to the regular season for the Yuma High School football team.
The Outlaws host perennial power Limon, once again ranked No. 1 in Class 1A, Friday at 7 p.m. The forecasted high for Friday is 46 degrees, as of earlier this week, so expect the game-time temperature to be even chillier.
Yuma enters the regular season finale 3-5 after last Friday’s 42-0 loss at No. 2 Holyoke. Limon is 8-0 after last Friday’s 42-21 home win over No. 7 Wiggins.
An upset win most likely will secure a playoff berth for the Outlaws. However, they still could possibly get in even with a loss to the Badgers.
The Outlaws entered this week No. 15 in the 1A CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index, one spot ahead of a 6-2 Monte Vista team. The top 16 make the postseason field. Even Burlington at 1-7 is still kind of in the playoff chase at 1-7.
Last week’s other North Central Conference game saw No. 9 Wray, 5-3, beat Burlington 53-6.
Besides Limon visiting Yuma on Friday, the regular season ends with an interesting game at Wray between the Eagles and Wiggins, and Holyoke traveling to Burlington on Saturday night.
Limon, Holyoke, Wiggins and Wray all have secured playoff berths, with Limon and Holyoke likely remaining the top two seeds.
Limon has won all of its games by at least 21 points, except for the 28-22 win at Holyoke on October 13. That is the Dragons’ only loss.
It was a beautiful evening for football, last Friday at Holyoke.
The Outlaws warmed their fans’ hearts even further when they got a turnover early in the game, and then proceeded to pick up some first downs.
However, the drive eventually bogged down, and then the Dragon started to roll, though the Outlaws did play hard throughout the game. The young squad was even younger Friday night as regulars were missing due to injuries and other reasons.
The Dragons got on the board late in the first quarter on a 32-yard pass from Wyatt Sprague to Bryson Dirks for a 6-0 lead.
The home team then broke it open in the second quarter.
Sprague hit Cash Weber for a 44-yard touchdown pass, then kicked the extra point. Weber scored on a 10-yard run, and Sprague ran in the 2-point conversion. Weber then returned a punt for a touchdown. Sprague’s extra-point kick made it 28-0 at halftime.
Holyoke added two more scoring passes in the third from Sprague to Tyson Mosenteen and Weber to round out the scoring.
It was the third shut-out of the Yuma offense this season. The Outlaws have been outscored 146-13 in their five losses.
Yuma had 149 total yards, 132 rushing and 17 through the air. Holyoke had 340 total yards, including 249 courtesy of its aerial assault. The Outlaws again held a significant advantage in time of possession, 21 minutes, 21 seconds, compared to 14:41 for Holyoke, which again goes to show that stat does not amount to much.
Jonathan Thomson ran for 74 yards for Yuma, Trey Stegman 23, Christian Thomson 16, Damien Kosinksi 13, and James Brandner five. J. Thomson completed one pass to Kosinski for 17 yards. Holyoke’s Sprague completed nine of 14 passes for 189 yards and four touchdowns, and Colby Weger completed four of five for 60 yards.
The Yuma defense did come up with three interceptions, including two against Sprague. The interceptions were by J. Thomson, Kosinski and Iann Duran. Hugo Montes was in on seven total tackles, J. Thomson five, Brody Sheffield four, Stegman three, Duran three, Marvin Duarte three, Bridger Lynch three, Reyli Trejo two, Carson Lynch two, C. Thomson one, Julian Vega one, Jesus Gordo one, Giovanny Segura one, and Dallas Brunk one.
