So long Friday night lights, hello Saturday afternoons.
Because of a referee shortage in Colorado, two of the three high school football teams in La Plata County are forced to play Saturday games this week. Durango won’t play another home game on a Friday night the rest of the season, and neither will the Ignacio Bobcats, the subject of the Durango Herald Game of the Week for the first time this season.
A massive 49-6 homecoming win against rival Dolores set the stage for this week’s 1A Southern Peaks League contest with Centauri. The teams will enter the 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with identical 3-3 records that include a 1-1 showing in league games.
Four teams in the SPL have 1-1 league records, with only Center standing unbeaten in league at 2-0. Centuari already has a 17-12 loss to Center, while IHS will host Center the final week of the regular season. If the Bobcats want that game to have league championship and playoff implications, they will have to take care of Centauri first.
“The boys are feeling it, but we’ve got another test this weekend,” IHS head coach Ponch Garcia said. “We talked about what is ahead with league, and hopefully the except the challenge when they step into it. This is a tough game, no question, so we have to look at one game at a time and not the next three.”
It’s been an incredible turnaround season for the Bobcats. They ended a 14-game losing streak, won consecutive games for the first time since 2013 and scored against Dolores for the first time in two seasons in last week’s romp.
A strong junior and senior class has helped prove IHS is more than a basketball school with a strong baseball season in the spring and the best football season in a generation in Garcia’s second season as head coach.
The Bobcats aren’t the biggest or fastest team, but they make up for that with heart.
“We’re blessed with some talent and speed, but the biggest thing for us is the boys are tough, no question,” Garcia said. “The guys have figured out how hard they have to work for what they want to earn.”
With outside playmakers such as Marcus Chapman, Kruz Pardo and Lawrence Valdez, a gritty running back in Lorenzo Peña and a poised quarterback in Zach Weinreich, the Bobcats have found offense. But big plays defensive from players such as Ethan Appenzeller and Timmy Plehinger have helped set the tone in all three IHS wins.
The Bobcats will need that defense to step up big against the spread offense of the Centauri Falcons, which is led by junior quarterback Nate Anderson.
Anderson has passed for four touchdowns and four interceptions this season to go with 528 yards. He’s a dual-threat with another 207 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Senior running back Josh Gallegos has totaled 229 rushing yards and another two touchdowns.
“They have a very talented quarterback and solid running back,” Garcia said. “They’re big, and we had to prepare for that spread.”
IHS fared well against Montezuma-Cortez, another team that likes to pass a bunch. But Centauri’s defense could pose a bigger threat. The Falcons allow only 14.5 points per game.
If the Bobcats can crank up their newfound high-scoring offense, it could be another day to celebrate in Ignacio.
Sierra (0-6) at Durango (3-3)
What: 3A South Central League football
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Durango High School Stadium
Listen Live: KKDG 99.7 FM
Twitter: @The7thFreezer
More Info: After welcoming two defending Colorado High School Activities Association football state champions to Durango in the last two games, and coming away with a split, the Demons will look to take advantage of a winless Sierra team this week.
Durango (3-3, 0-1 3A South Central) made a heroic comeback last week, but came up just short in the end in a 24-20 loss. The Demons rallied from being down 17-0 to defending 3A champion Pueblo East in the third quarter, and took the lead in the final minutes before Pueblo East prevailed on its last drive.
Senior quarterback Peyton Woolverton was fantastic in the second half and finished the game 24-of-35 passing with 229 yards and two touchdowns. Max Hyson has been effective in an increased offensive role for Durango. Hyson scored twice in the 24-20 loss to Pueblo East, one rushing score and one a touchdown catch.
DHS’ new league foes haven’t won a game this season, but Sierra made headlines last week after five players took a knee for the national anthem, following the lead of San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s protest against social injustice.
In between the sidelines, the Stallions (0-6, 0-1 3A South Central) lost 38-8 to Harrison. They’ve been outscored by a 223 to 42 margin this season and the Demons offense is sure to be licking its chops at the opportunity to face a defense that has given up 40 or more points in half of its games.
Bayfield (4-2) at Pagosa Springs (1-5)
What: 2A Intermountain League football
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Golden Peaks Stadium, Pagosa Springs
Listen Live: KLJH 107.1 FM
Twitter: @jlivi2
More Info: At 2-0 in league games, the Bayfield Wolverines face a critical stretch when it comes to playoff positioning.
The defending Class 2A state champion Bayfield High School football team has one hurdle to clear before focusing on a top-10 showdown with Delta. Pagosa Springs awaits seeking redemption for a 54-8 loss to the Wolverines a year ago.
It is the second consecutive year BHS has had to play at Pagosa Springs, but BHS isn’t afraid of visiting the Pirates. The Wolverines haven’t lost to Pagosa Springs since 2008.
Bayfield’s defense hasn’t allowed more than 50 yards of offense in either league win this year and has allowed only 57 points through six games this season. Led by a dominant defensive line and powerful linebackers, the unit is a force to be reckoned with.
The offense has also gotten it going in recent week,s as Josh Westbrook has found a rhythm in the passing game to compliment a stable of dynamic running backs.
BHS must avoid the trap game before looking ahead to a road contest at Delta. BHS is currently No. 8 in the 2A RPI rankings, while Delta is No. 9.
If you go
Who:
Centauri at Ignacio
What:
1A Southern Peaks League football
When:
1 p.m. Saturday
Where:
Ignacio High School Stadium
Listen Live:
KSUT 91.3 FM
Twitter:
@jlivi2
