REWIND

FROM PAGE B1

Catholic and both local programs had the opportunity to compete against NWC this year.

The Shamrocks blew past the Crusaders 36-14 on Oct. 1 – a night that was NWC’s homecoming. Yuma Catholic, a 3A school, obviously had little difficulty knocking off its rival.

Gila Ridge on the other hand, got blasted by NWC on Friday at home, in a game the Crusaders’ starting quarterback missed due to injury. NWC raced off to a 42-0 halftime lead and hit cruise control the rest of the contest.

And in 2021, YC is now able to claim the title of best football team in Yuma, which theoretically wasn’t even a real debate.

Rams peaking at the right time

Antelope trashed Madison Highland 49-6, has now won five or its last six games and remains 2-0 in region play.

The Rams (6-2) have beaten their last three opponents by an average of 32 points per game. Senior quarterback Johnathan Whitley continues to make strides handling the duties under center, while Jesus Murrieta and Jose Soto keep the run game rolling.

Antelope’s win Friday makes it 17-3 in its last 20 games at Buckeye Field, but the Rams now hit the road for their final two contests, with the season finale against Trivium Prep, the other undefeated team in the 2A Hassayampa Region. A win over Trivium Prep in two weeks would mean Antelope clinches an automatic berth into the 2A state playoffs.

Raiders overmatched

A week ago I stated Cibola (2-4) had the possibility of winning its final five games. That ended quickly.

Tolleson’s physicality and size was too much for Cibola. The Wolverines throttled the Raiders 56-19 and tallied over 300 rushing yards in the win.

Tackling and secondary breakdowns were an issue for Cibola in the loss. Offensively, in the first quarter and a half, Cibola quarterback Andrey Acosta had success moving the ball when designed roll outs allowed him to survey the field and locate open receivers.

But the offense became stagnant once Tolleson’s defense made adjustments.

The Wolverines’ edge

rushers no longer crashed downhill and forced Acosta to sit in a tight pocket – which he struggled with when faced with the limited time provided. Plus, the Raiders’ run game struggled mightily, putting more pressure on Acosta.

Cibola now must regroup and hit the road to face Copper Canyon. Four more wins are still on the table for the Raiders in their final four weeks.

NWC cruises past Gila Ridge

I didn’t think the Hawks had much of a chance Friday night against the then 1-5 Crusaders – even with NWC’s starting quarterback unavailable.

I was right as NWC rolled into Yuma and walked left with a convincing 42-7 win. Gila Ridge was fresh off its first win of the year, but the offensive inability to produce points and struggles defensively led to another loss.

The quarterback carousel continued with three different players rotating under center.

And the difficulty of opponents doesn’t get any easier for a Hawks team that sits at 1-5. Gila Ridge will be on the road for three of its final four games – including a date with 4A No. 1 Cactus on Nov. 5. I don’t see another win for the Hawks unless they can handle Peoria (1-5) in two weeks.

Add another loss to the streak

Kofa was shutout for the third time this season and through six games and has only scored 18 total points. The Kings’ football program has now lost 30 straight games. There must be strong talks this offseason, or next, about the future of Kofa football.

YC displays growth and maturity

Several weeks back Yuma Catholic lost to American Leadership Academy-Gilbert North, when the Shamrocks were unable to overcome an 18-point deficit and eventually lost by three.

Fast forward four weeks later and YC wasn’t fazed by a two-score second-half deficit at 3A No. 3 River Valley on the road. YC’s offense sputtered in the opening half of play and turned the ball over twice to begin the third quarter. Still, the Shamrocks kept their poise and overcame a plethora of miscues to upset the Dust Devils.

I really didn’t think YC had it in them to come back and win – I watched the second half on my phone.

But the experience YC garnered a month ago on the road enabled the No. 6 team in 3A to persevere and potentially clinch home field advantage for the first two rounds of the upcoming state playoffs. Yuma Catholic is arguably the best team in the conference and with Friday’s win, the Shamrocks should shuffle back into the top-4 of the 3A rankings.

Crims’ struggles continue

A once promising start to the season, despite three straight losses, Yuma High has taken giant steps backwards in its last two games.

Yuma High was blasted by Gila Ridge two weeks ago and then crushed by Canyon View on Friday, 48-14.

The Criminals are suiting up 24 players, forcing a lot of Bo Seibel’s team to play on both sides of the ball. The depth isn’t there and neither is the consistency.

I thought this team could salvage five wins this season. Now the Criminals will be lucky if they produce two victories.

Like another team in town, Yuma High hasn’t been able to find a rhythm offensively and the Criminals have serious concerns at the quarterback position. And the inability to limit explosive plays from their opponents is an area the Criminals must improve on quickly.

Standouts

YC QB Richard Stallworth

The junior quarterback completed 25-of-38 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns.

YC WR Austin Rush Rush tallied 103 yards on seven catches and a touchdown.

Cibola DB/RB Tevon Mellor

In his first game as a Raider, Mellor made a touchdown-saving interception late in the second quarter.

YC WR Mario Martinez

The wideout hauled in eight catches for 117 yards and two scores.

Antelope RB Jesus Murrieta

The tailback tallied another rushing touchdown for the Rams.

Gila Ridge WR Johnathan Noriega

For the second straight week since his return, the senior wide receiver caught a touchdown pass. Antelope DL/FB Jose Soto

Soto tallied his third rushing touchdown of the season.

Jackson ramer can be reached at jramer@yumasun.com.