(1) Akron (11-0) at (5) Yuma (10-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.: The Rams, two-time defending state champions and winners of 37 games in succession, won the regular-season meeting, 40-8, in Week 8. . . . Akron won the North Central League crown, Yuma was second. . . . The Rams have won by shutout the last three weeks. The last team to score on them? Yuma. . . . Akron’s deep skill corps includes Dalton Jefferson, Chance Friedly and Logan Davisson. . . . Yuma’s Joel Rhoades and Mitch Wills combined for 395 yards rushing last week in downing Hotchkiss.
(6) Wray (9-2) at (2) Rye (11-0), Saturday, 1 p.m.: Wray, third in the North Central, also means the Eagles made it three-of-four league teams in the final four. . . . The Eagles’ Cole Beckman rolled to 195 yards and three touchdowns last week in handling Limon’s Badgers 34-20. . . . The Thunderbolts have been stingy on defense with five shutouts and just 48 points permitted the past nine games. . . . The most recent state championships for each school came in 1993 — Rye won its only title, in 2A, and Wray its second, in 3A.
Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
