La Junta beats Manitou Springs for their eighth straight win

By Team Reports Oct 23, 2023, 10:08am

Recap: La Junta Tigers vs. Manitou Springs Mustangs

The La Junta Tigers put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their undefeated season alive. They blew past Manitou Springs 40-14. The result was nothing new for La Junta, who have now won four matchups by 26 points or more so far this season.

La Junta's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Rylan Schmidt, who rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries, and also threw for 115 yards and a touchdown while completing 83.3% of his passes. Schmidt is on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in the last four games he's played. Dilan Ruiz was another key contributor, gaining 88 total yards and two touchdowns.

Manitou Springs' lost despite a true team effort on the offense, the best among them being Nate Gentzel, who rushed for -13 yards and a touchdown, and also threw for 181 yards and a touchdown.

La Junta's victory was their fifth straight at home, bumping their overall record up to 8-0. As for Manitou Springs, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 3-5.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. La Junta will take on Florence at 7:00 p.m. on October 27th. Florence will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak. As for Manitou Springs, they will head out on the road to face off against Lamar at 7:00 p.m. on October 27th. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Colorado (Lamar is ranked 146th, while Manitou Springs is ranked 161st).