Blue crush: Criminals exact revenge on Kings

Facing a fourth-and-eight with an eight-point lead early in the fourth quarter and their quarterback injured, the Yuma Criminals went to the Wildcat.

JC Baker took the shotgun snap 35 yards through the middle of the Kofa defense, padding the Yuma lead for the final score in a 34-20 victory over the Kings as Kofa celebrated its 50th anniversary Friday at Irv Pallack Field.

Last year, the Kings went to Yuma High on its 100-year anniversary and topped the Criminals on their way to eventually winning region. This year, Cibola locked up the region crown but both teams were still motivated, the Criminals by revenge and the Kings by pride.

The Criminals (6-4 overall, 4-1 Gila Valley Region) took an 8-7 lead at the half and never trailed again, but things got shaky for them against the Kings (3-6, 2-2) in the fourth. Yuma quarterback Donte Jackson scrambled on a third-and-seven and picked up a yard but hurt his shoulder on the play. To add insult to injury, Yuma High was called for a hold. Coach Kevin Moore declined, setting up the fourth-and-eight from the Kofa 35.

Baker took the snap - the Criminals ran the Wildcat on the first play of the game but hadn't utilized it much since last year - and went virtually untouched up the middle for the back-breaking score.

"We needed to make a stop there," Moore said. "We didn't want to let them run two more plays. The clock was winding down, it was getting late there in the fourth quarter. We wanted to make a stop there in the fourth quarter. Obviously they made the play there, we didn't."

Yuma coach Tom Fox has been eschewing special teams play all years, electing to usually go for it on fourth down and for two-point conversions.

"The defense had been playing pretty well to that point, so we just figured especially with the QB out - and he plays a pretty important part on defense - that if we gave them the ball right there we'd be hoping our defense would get the stop," Fox said. "Fortunately it worked out for us."

Kofa drove on the ensuing possession to the Criminal 23, to set up a third-and-one, but a holding call led to an eventual failed fourth down conversion.

Earlier in the game, Kofa drove to the Yuma 20 with a 7-0 lead, but three plays and a penalty later were punting from the 45.

"Those mistakes are too much to overcome," Moore said. "We grind out and grind out and then come up short. ... They made the plays when they needed and we didn't."

Yuma opened the third with a 41-yard run by Travon Clark for a score and a 14-7 lead. The Kings answered with a 60-yard drive capped by a 2-yard run by Timmy Lee - who ran for 183 yards and three touchdowns in the losing effort.

Two plays into the next Yuma High drive, Clark broke off a 64-yard scoring run to put the Criminals ahead 22-13.

"I did it all for my seniors," Clark said. "They didn't get it last year, the juniors didn't get it last year, so I gave it to them this year.

"We finally came back to their 50th anniversary and beat them on their own field like they came and ruined our 100th year," he said. "So we ruined their 50th."

Kofa mounted a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive to get the lead back down to two after a 10-yard run by Lee, but the Criminals needed just four plays on their next drive before Jackson ran 28 yards up the right side to put Yuma ahead 28-20.

"These seniors understood it was their last chance to beat Kofa," Fox said. "That was the best team effort I've seen in two years. I don't think we're selfish, but I asked them to put all that stuff aside, to not worry about the big picture beating Kofa, and to do the little things right and let's see where it stands at the end of 48 minutes."

The Kings finished the game 4-for-10 on third down and 1-for-2 on fourth. The Criminals were 2-for-10 on third and 3-for-6 on fourth.

Kofa fumbled the opening kickoff, but Yuma only moved the ball two yards and turned the ball over on downs. Kofa scored on the next possession when Lee went 10 yards to the left for a 7-0 lead.

Baker - who had went over 100 yards rushing before taking three kneel downs out of the shotgun to finish with 88 yards - scored his first touchdown late in the second quarter on a 7-yard run to give Yuma the lead for good.

"I'm sure a lot of people are disappointed with it being the 50th anniversary of Kofa and all that stuff," Moore said. "The kids played their hearts out. We competed to the end, and in every game there is a winner and a loser. I'm sure coach Fox and the Criminals felt the same kind of way last year. Last year was a great and this year was another great game. Someone had to come out on top and unfortunately it was them this time."