The Montezuma-Cortez Panthers were shutout by the No. 5 Bayfield Wolverines on Friday, 42-0.
The Panthers were stifled by the Wolverines’ defense and held to just 59 total offensive yards. Bayfield recorded three sacks and forced two turnovers, and the Panthers’ only first down on the night didn’t come until the fourth quarter.
Bayfield jumped out to an early 16-0 lead, scoring two touchdowns and a safety off a blocked punt in the first quarter. They continued to pour it on with a 20-point second quarter to take a 36-0 lead into half.
The Panthers’ defense held Bayfield to 159 yards rushing and just 64 yards passing, but the Wolverines’ special teams unit put points on the board and their defense set them up with short fields.
Tanner Desrosiers and Zach McDonald led the Panthers’ defense with eight solo tackles each, Cordell Ridings had seven tackles and a forced fumble, and Elisha Vaquera had three tackles-for-loss on in his 6 total tackles.
Mancos wins big against Sierra Grande
The Mancos Blue Jays had a first half to forget against Sierra Grande on Saturday.
The Panthers stripped the Blue Jays three times in the first half, and with the Mancos turnovers, the teams entered halftime tied 14-14.
The third quarter however, Mancos brought the heat, scoring 30 unanswered points.
The Blue Jays pounded away on the ground with Everett-Strazza Whalen, Axel Bonde and quarterback Drew Morgan leading the offense.
Morgan and Bonde each scored twice in the quarter, and the Blue Jays’ defense hounded the Panthers. Adrian Hernandez had two interceptions and Richard Martinez pulled down the quarter’s third pick.
Leading 44-14 to start the fourth, Everett Strazza-Whalen added a rushing score for insurance and Morgan connected with Andrew Plunkett for a 25-yard touchdown pass, and the Blue Jays went on to win 60-14.
No. 7 Dove Creek rolls to victory over Sanford
The No. 7 Dove Creek Bulldogs knew it was a trap-game going into their contest with the Sanford Indians (2-6) on Friday.
But they still started out sloppy, turning it over with a fumble on their first drive and ending the first quarter tied 0-0.
Quarterback Jordan Ernst got the Bulldogs started on the first play of the second quarter, going 35 yards on a draw for a touchdown. Later, senior Colin Hobbs gave the Bulldogs a 12-0 lead on a 14-yard rush.
Ernst also had two defensive interceptions in the quarter, and scored again on a 17-yard rush to give Dove Creek an 18-6 lead heading into halftime.
The second half was all Bulldogs, and Dove Creek held Sanford scoreless and put up four more touchdowns on the way to a 48-6 win.
Scott Gatlin scored two second-half rushing touchdowns and Case Baughman scored on a 17-yard rush and an 80-yard interception return.