The Marauders ended their 2012 regular season with a detonating, revengeful win over their rival and earning a state playoff home game.

The Camp Verde High School Cowboys [1-9] traveled to Cottonwood to continue the once-heated rivalry with the Mingus Union High School Marauders [7-3] on Friday, Oct. 26. The Marauders showed how powerful their game on the gridiron is as they beat the Cowboys 74-8. The rivalry is now 1-1 as the Cowboys beat the Marauders 41-31 in 2011 when the Camp Verde-Mingus Union game was reinstated.

With fewer than 20 players on Friday night due to grades and injuries, the Cowboys lacked depth, giving the Marauders an easy advantage, particularly in the second half as the Cowboys tired out since many players had to play on both sides of the ball. Cowboys senior Doug Ashley was playing six positions himself: running back, safety, punter, place kicker, punt returner and kick returner.

“It still stings, last year’s game,” said Bob Young, MUHS head coach, before the game. “[The Cowboys] are going to try to beat our brains out, and we will try to do the same.” The Cowboys started with the ball, but a fumble recovered by the Marauders allowed them to score the first touchdown of the game — a 21-yard run by Dakota Hanks on a third-

and-4. Gilberto Quidera’s extra point kick was good.

Cowboys senior quarterback Kyle Lobaugh pushed his team for a first down, but the Marauders strong defense prevented them from crossing into Marauder territory with the help of a sack by senior linebacker Brandon Gregson.

Senior Tyler Herndon had a 46-yard touchdown run on the next Mingus Union drive.

Marauders linemen Troy Carter and Jordan Welborn gave the Cowboys nowhere to run, but the Cowboys defense

For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Oct. 31 issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.