Four weeks into the season, Wiggins football has proven itself elite among Colorado’s Class 1A competition.
For the most part, any team that comes across the fourth-ranked Tigers walks away with a rough loss. For the most part, no team can touch the Tigers. No. 3 Strasburg, however, proved much stronger than any other squads Wiggins has faced so far this season.
When the two teams met at the beginning of the month, they didn’t disappoint as Strasburg defeated the Tigers in a thrilling, 29-28 double-overtime finish. Strasburg took the early leap on the Tigers, scoring a touchdown in each of the first two quarters to lead 14-0 heading into the fourth.
But the Tigers weren’t going to go away that quietly.
Wiggins put up two touchdowns while holding Strasburg scoreless in the final frame of regulation to force a first overtime that saw each team put up eight points. That paved the way for a second overtime, which came down to a missed PAT from the Tigers. That lone point became the deciding factor in Strasburg’s exciting victory.
In that contest, senior quarterback Cole Kerr threw for 43 yards while running 96 yards for three touchdowns. Senior Pepper Rusher accounted for the other touchdown on the ground as senior Julio Flores added another 94 rushing yards.
Sophomore Cameron Schmidt paced the defense with 11 tackles as Rusher followed his lead with nine tackles, including seven solo. Four boys — sophomore Jorge Mendez, Flores, senior Laith Ibrahim and Rusher — each collected a sack.
The Tigers bounced back spectacularly from that loss, as each of their next two contests ended in blowouts, first in a 58-7 campaign over Rocky Ford on Sept. 9 and then in a 44-13 decision over Platte Valley on Sept. 17.
Now, they’ll prepare to take on No. 5 Yuma for another marquee matchup on the road at 7 p.m. on Sept. 30.
