By Stephanie Zwick
Photos by Kirsten Tacha
limonsports.smugmug.com/2026-Football
On Friday, August 21, the Limon Badgers opened their 2026 football season against the Wiggins Tigers. Fans came into the game eager to see how the Badgers would respond after graduating 12 seniors from last year’s team. Limon entered the opener with fewer players than last season, 29 on the roster, and already had several players dealing with injuries.
Friday’s game began with a strong kickoff, and Parker Harris quickly made the stop. The Badgers’ defense went to work right away against the Wiggins Tigers when Camdyn Tacha intercepted a pass and returned it for a pick-six. Roberto Sontay stepped in as the Badgers’ kicker and made the extra point, giving Limon a 7-0 lead.
On the next possession, the Badgers kicked the ball back to the Wiggins Tigers, and the defense quickly forced a fourth-down situation. Wiggins punted, and Limon took over at the 8-yard line. The Badgers then faced significant penalties that backed them into a third-and-11 situation.
The Wiggins defense knocked the ball loose, but the Badgers recovered the fumble. Limon then went to the air hoping to make up the lost yards, but Wiggins intercepted the pass.
Wiggins tried to pass again, but the attempt fell incomplete. Charlie Hoose then stepped up and made a great stop for no gain. The Badgers took over, and Liam Yoder broke free for a 25-yard run to put Limon in strong field position. Yoder followed with a 6-yard gain, and Camdyn Tacha added another carry before breaking off a 17-yard gain before the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter started with Yoder running for 14 more yards. Tacha followed with another touchdown, and Roberto Sontay made the extra point to give the Badgers a 14-0 lead.
Wiggins quickly went to work trying to make something happen but it was Macael Berry that would find his way in and sack the quarterback for Wiggins. A personal foul call was called on the Badgers costing them 15 yards In the Wiggins Tiger’s favor.
Yoder and Harris helped make the next stop as the Badgers took over on downs. Yoder ran for a first down, and Parker Harris followed with a catch from Joe White and a 30-yard run. Wiggins was then called for an unsportsmanlike penalty, moving the ball 15 more yards in Limon’s favor. White later connected with Camdyn Tacha for a touchdown pass, and Roberto Sontay made the extra point to give the Badgers a 21-0 lead going into halftime.
The third quarter started with Yoder on the kickoff return, followed by a 12-yard run. He added four more yards on the next play before Camdyn Tacha took a carry of his own. The Badgers then went back to Yoder on the ground. Joe White connected with Dillon Rockwell for a completed catch and a first down, and Yoder added another 5-yard gain. Brady Trim appeared to score on the next run, but the touchdown was called back because of a holding penalty against the Badgers. On the very next play, Wiggins stripped the ball and took over. Yoder answered again on defense, intercepting a pass and returning it 25 yards. He added four more rushing yards on the next run, but the Badgers eventually turned the ball over on downs.
Harris and Trim were in on the stop against the Wiggins Tigers. The Badgers’ defense kept the pressure on and forced Wiggins to turn the ball over on downs. Yoder added a short run before the end of the quarter, with Limon still leading 21-0.
As the fourth quarter started, Joe White connected with Rockwell for a completed pass, and Yoder added 4 rushing yards. White then completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Masterson. Roberto Sontay came in and made his fourth extra point of the night, giving the Badgers a 28-0 lead with 8 minutes and 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Nelson Sontay handled the kickoff for the Badgers, and Yoder and Ben Carr made the stop on the Wiggins return. Wiggins went to the air trying to gain yards, but Joe White came away with the interception. White then connected with Tacha for 15 yards and a first down before finding Rockwell for a 10-yard completion. Brady Trim followed with a 44-yard touchdown run. Nelson Sontay’s kick was no good, but the Badgers still led 34-0. Limon’s defense held the Tigers again, with Parker Harris making the stop and the pressure forcing Wiggins into a punt. Yoder called for a fair catch just before the end of the game, and the Badgers finished the opener with a 34-0 win.
The Badgers showed they are ready to hold their own this season, but the opener also left room for improvement. Penalties, an interception, and a loose ball gave Limon areas to clean up before the next game. The Badgers will return to the field on Friday, August 28, against the Rye Eagles at 7:00 p.m.