LIMON — How many 41-point fourth quarters in the postseason have you heard of or experienced?
Storied Limon, the all-time leader in Colorado football championships with 17, added another riveting chapter to its best-seller annals.
On a fall Saturday afternoon in early November on the High Plains more suited weather-wise for shorts and sunblock than parkas and gloves, the Badgers ran off 41 points down the stretch to oust defending Class 1A champion Yuma from the playoffs 54-32, as wild as the University of Colorado outcome farther east on Interstate 70.
The Badgers, who improved to 9-1 and will be at Paonia in next weekend’s quarterfinals, actually trailed the Indians 18-13 entering the fourth quarter. No problem. They scored their 41 points, including three touchdowns on special teams, over the game’s final 9 minutes, 51 seconds.
Limon coach Mike O’Dwyer was more concerned with his team waking up than any unusual point total.
“We just had to get going,” he said. “And it took us awhile.”
But once they did, the Badgers attained one of those special rolls. Brett Schmidt, who rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns, gave the Badgers the lead for good on a 21-yarder. Next, Limon blocked a punt in the end zone and recovered for a score. Schmidt tacked on a 50-yard rush; Coltyn Beedy hauled in a 19-yard scoring reception; Daniel Kappel returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown; and Schmidt returned an onside kick 54 yards for another score.
“It was crazy,” Schmidt said.
Yuma, which ended 6-4, blew two leads, rushed for 346 yards (184 by Nick Lovell) and was getting the slower-paced, ball-control game it desired with its double-wing attack, couldn’t do anything to stop it.
In addition to turnover problems, Lovell, who scored four touchdowns, ran 63 yards to the Limon 1-yard line as time expired before the half. To make it worse, Limon was called for holding and the Indians, who trailed 13-12 at the break, had to take the penalty near midfield . . . and couldn’t score.
“I think we were right where we wanted to be,” Yuma coach Keith Gille said. “I told our kids it would be close and we could win it in the end. But (O’Dwyer) did a better job than me and they made more plays than we did.”
Yuma 6 6 6 14 — 32Limon 6 7 0 41 — 54Y — Lovell 2 run (kick failed). L — Brown 21 pass from Yowell (kick failed). L — Bre. Schmidt 26 run (Galvin kick). Y — Lovell 4 run (run failed). Y — Leifheit 1 run (kick failed). L — Bre. Schmidt 21 run (Galvin kick). L — Kollath recovered fumble in end zone (Galvin kick). Y — Lovell 52 (Korf run). L — Bre. Schmidt 50 run (Galvin kick). L — Beedy 19 pass from Yowell (Galvin kick). L — Kappel 44 interception (Galvin kick). Y — Korf 3 run (run failed). L — Bre. Schmidt 54 kickoff return (run failed).
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
