Come Friday evening, either the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers or the Ignacio Bobcats will have their first win of the season.
Ignacio will host the Panthers in a matchup between two 0-3 teams hungry for a victory.
The Panthers fell to Grand Junction Central 46-20 last week, but the team has shown signs of improvement.
And their goal is to continue to get better as the season moves forward.
“Offensively and defensively, we’re just trying to take small steps and get the guys better,” defensive coordinator Keith Mikhail said at practice on Wednesday.
“Even if it’s just a step better than they were yesterday.”
The Panthers defense is holding opponents to an average of 112 passing yards per game, and after giving up 625 rushing yards in weeks one and two combined, M-CHS held Central to just 94 yards on the ground last week.
They will look to contain an Ignacio offense that has scored just six points all season.
Offensively, after rushing for 160 yards last week, Panthers’ running back Coby Baer will face a Bobcats defense that gave up 360 rushing yards to Hotchkiss in week one and 276 yards to Paonia in week two.
The Panthers are well aware of the opportunity to claim their first victory, but they aren’t rushing the process.
The coaches understand that the season may be an uphill climb, but they are staying patient and are focused on improving.
“It’s nothing that happens overnight,” Mikhail said. “We may not see it for three or four weeks down the road.”