Yuma High School’s football team is enjoying a bye week while sporting a 2-0 record.
The Outlaws get a short break from games after likely the most impressive performance by a YHS team in recent seasons, dismantling the North Fork Miners 31-15 last Friday at Clear Creek High School west of Evergreen.
“It was a lot of fun,” coach Kelly Seward said. “The best way to describe it was it was a very mature win for a young team. I mean I tell you, it was the damnedness thing I’ve ever seen. Our guys were just locked in.”
North Fork entered the game ranked No. 10 in the Colorado Preps Class 1A Top 10. The Miners were replaced this week by the Outlaws, who made their 2025 debut at No. 10. Wiggins also entered the poll at No. 9, putting five of the six teams in the rugged North Central Conference in the poll.
Limon is No. 1, Wray No. 2, and Burlington No. 6.
All six NCC teams rolled to wins last Friday. Limon cruised past Flatirons Academy 41-13, Wray won 42-21 at Goodland, Kansas, Wiggins knocked off then-No. 6 Meeker 26-16, Burlington spanked Lakin, Kansas, 42-6, and Holyoke treated visiting Glenrock, Wyoming, to a 41-14 shellacking.
Seward said he was informed the NCC teams won their games by a combined 182-71.
Yuma, Limon and Burlington have this week off, while Wray is at Scott City, Kansas, Wiggins is at Highland, and Holyoke is at Colby, Kansas.
The Outlaws’ next game is September 19 at Torrington, Wyoming.
“This week is about tightening things up,” Seward said. “A bye week is a bye week, you just have to make sure you keep the guys engaged.”
Last Friday’s neutral-site game was considered a showdown between two teams likely to be playing in November. North Fork went 6-3 in the 2024 regular season, and opened this season with another romp over Center.
Yuma also opened with a 21-7 home win over Chase County.
It was Yuma that followed up with another win.
And looked really good while doing it.
The Outlaws finished with 365 total yards, 264 rushing and 101 passing, scoring four touchdowns on the ground and via the air. Meanwhile, the defense held North Fork to 211 total yards, 103 rushing and 108 passing, and to two second-half touchdowns.
Iann Duran broke out as a dual-threat quarterback. The junior finished with 231 total yards, 130 rushing and 101 passing, running for three touchdowns and passing for another in just his second start. He completed six of his nine passes, including five of his first six.
“He’s so fast, so quick,” Seward said. “He’s the one guy on our team that when he carries the ball he has a vision of where his cuts are going to be. He throws a beautiful ball and makes the right read.”
Christian Thomson ran for 69 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, David Covarrubias 53 yards on two carries, and Daden Beauprez 17 yards on seven attempts. Lennox Huwa had one catch, a 29-yard touchdown, Reyli Trejo two catches for 48 yards, Thomson one for 15, and Stevie Seward two for nine yards.
Defensively, Brodie Kallweit was in on eight total tackles, Lief Sims six, Covarrubias five, Trejo five, Jose Mario Ross four, Marvin Duarte four, Seward four, Tanner Himes four and a fumble recovery, Bryan Montes three, Dallas Brunk two, Jesus Gordo two, Paulo Trujillo two, and Ethan Nadow, Beauprez, David Gaytan and Giovanni Segura one each.
Yuma wasted little time taking control against the Miners. The Outlaws marched downfield on their first possession, capped by Thomson’s 18-yard run. The extra-point kick was missed, but Yuma led 6-0 in the first quarter.
North Fork strung together some first downs on its first drive, but the Miners eventually turned it over on downs.
Yuma’s offense went to business again on its second drive, eventually scoring on the 29-yard pass from Duran to Huwa, who did not play football last season.
The Outlaws capped their next drive with a tush-push touchdown by Duran, and then scored again before halftime on Duran’s 34-yard sprint.
Yuma went for two beginning with the second touchdown, and did not convert any of them, leaving the Outlaws with a 24-0 lead at halftime.
The Miners did not go quietly in the second half. They finally got on the scoreboard courtesy of a 23-yard pass, then ran in the 2-point conversion to get within 24-8.
The Outlaws, though, started the fourth with a long drive. They faced fourth-and-goal at the 3-yard line when Duran received some help getting into the end zone for a touchdown. Omar Lozano kicked the extra point for a 31-8 lead.
North Fork kept coming, though, and scored on a 26-yard halfback pass, then kicked the extra point to make it 31-15 with 4 minutes left.
Yuma recovered the ensuing pooch kick, converted a third-and-two and then was able to run out the clock for the big win.
“I truly did believe we would win the game,” Seward said, “but I did not think we would do it like we did. I think we surprise the hell out of them.
“Our senior leadership is awesome,” he added. “They are keeping the young guys involved and engaged.”