LAKEWOOD — Chatfield already faced a breadth of inexperience across its roster, but it could be in for even more personnel uncertainty after starting senior quarterback Zack Yanda suffered a right shoulder injury that could be season-ending during the first quarter of Thursday’s 28-21 overtime loss against Greeley West.
Yanda’s absence proved glaring, as Chatfield went almost exclusively to the ground and failed to execute, if even attempt, the home run plays that led to three victories over its first four games. The Chargers, who went with a mix of backup quarterback Matthew Canino and Jack Wells, a primary safety, were stalled offensively in the second half and halted at the 1-yard line on fourth down in overtime.
“We had to go into Plan B mode, slow everything down and go with that offense that you saw there,” Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin said. “What I didn’t want to have was the big mistake. I felt like we controlled the line of scrimmage and made some plays; I just didn’t want us to make that big mistake. Playing to control the clock and play tough defense, so there wouldn’t be a lot of opportunities for them to score.”
Thursday’s game was perhaps as reflective of the Chargers’ season as any. McGatlin said the team has been learning on the job, himself included, after the program graduated what he estimates were 40 seniors last year, including 10 of 11 starters on defense. That inexperience showed at times Thursday, particularly vs. Greeley Westap ground attack.
Down 14-0, the Spartans bounced back quickly. Quarterback Jonathan Ordonez scored untouched on a 13-yard touchdown on a reverse, and with 1:03 remaining in the half, Greeley West fired a 34-yard strike downfield that positioned running back Derek West to score from 7 yards out on a direct snap the very next play.
Late in the third quarter, Greeley West QB Aaron Rojas anchored a drive capped with an 8-yard TD pass to tie the game at 21 midway through the fourth, and tailback DJ Starks powered the Spartans to their game-winning touchdown in overtime.
“On the defensive side, we may not be the most talented right now, but we’re really looking for tenacious pursuit to the football — guys that fly at the ball,” McGatlin said. ‘Thatap something that we just haven’t done well, so we’re really trying to get guys, like ‘Hey, if you made a mistake, I still want 100 percent effort.’ ”
Yanda suffered his injury in the first quarter while scrambling up the middle in Greeley West territory. He was blindsided, fumbled and fell awkwardly on his throwing shoulder. Yanda walked off the field under his own strength but watched the rest of the game wearing a slint. Losing the senior could be a big blow for Chatfield, which has labored to its 3-2 record.
Yanda, who was on the JV squad last year and is taking over for Colten Arne, has been the driving force behind Chatfield’s high-tempo offense, one that runs roughly 80 plays per game and that has relied heavily on home run plays through its first five games. McGatlin said early prognosis revealed that Yanda suffered a third-degree separated shoulder, but that the quarterback will undergo an MRI to confirm.
