There could be some good times on the gridiron this season for the Yuma High School football team.
The Outlaws open the 2026 season this Friday, August 21, at home against the Meeker Cowboys. The Cowboys are having to make the 364-mile trip across the Rocky Mountains, and through the valleys and high plains to get here for the 6 p.m. kickoff. (The Outlaws will make the return trip next season.)
Meeker is a perennial football power, going 8-3 last year and reaching the quarterfinals. The Cowboys are ranked No. 2 in the preseason 1A Top 10 by Mile High Preps, and No. 5 in the Colorado Preps Top 10.
Yuma coach Kelly Seward said the Cowboys return a corral full of players from last season. He said they do a great job of executing the Air Force offense, running a lot of wishbone and veer option plays.
“They’re getting some preseason love, and they deserve it,” Seward said. “They won’t wow you with their size, but they are plenty tough.”
As for your Yuma Outlaws, they went 4-5 and missed the playoffs last season after a 3-1 start. However, they return nearly everyone and are loaded at all positions. Mile High Preps has them ranked No. 7 in 1A, and picks them to win the new Big Northern League. The league includes Wray, Wiggins, Dayspring Christian, Platte Valley, Holyoke and Highland. The Outlaws are not ranked in the Colorado Preps poll.
“I say let’s just go out and prove it,” Seward said. “I think the pieces are falling into place. This junior and senior groups have been playing a lot of varsity ball, not just in football but in basketball and baseball also. They’ve got a lot of minutes, have a lot of time put in, and I think they’re ready.
“There’s no more excuses.”
Plus, the roster has been bolstered by a handful of players from Arickaree, which is not fielding a varsity team this year. One player has transferred to Yuma, while the rest will remain Arickaree students.
Senior Iann Duran returns at quarterback after last season was cut short by an injury. There is depth at the position in junior Jose Mario Ross and sophomore Ty Weathers.
The backfield features running backs Christian Thompson, a senior, and Ross, with junior Chris Wario and senior Jorge Ramos (Arickaree) at fullback. The tight end/H-back will feature junior Brodie Kallweit and senior transfer Jackson Cordell.
Yuma has an exciting rotation at wide receiver with senior Lennox Huwa, junior Stevie Seward and freshman Drayden Black
“We need to find a way to get the ball in open space,” Seward said. “If we do, teams are going to have to pull a safety out of the box, which will also help open up the run. We tried to run splits wide last year, but teams didn’t respect it and kept nine in the box.”
No matter how potentially explosive, “We have to control the line of scrimmage,” Seward said.
The offensive line returns with senior Giovanni Segura at right tackle, senior Jesus Gordo at right guard, junior Bryan Montes at center, senior Paulo Trujillo at left guard, and either juniors Lief Sims or Kevin Tena at left tackle.
On the defensive side, the line will have up to a seven-man rotation with Segura, Montes, Trujillo, Sims, Tena, and Arickaree’s Angel Palomo and Yarin Quinteros in the mix.
The inside linebackers are Kallweit and Ramos, with Gordo, Wario and Thompson rotating at the outside linebacker spots.
Senior Izaiah Mosser and Black will be at cornerback, with Ross and Seward at the safety positions.
Fans can get a first real look at the Outlaws against a tough opponent Friday at 6 p.m. It definitely will be a hot time (the temperature will be above 90 through most of the game).