Tuba City Warriors Dominate Gallup Bengals

The Tuba City Warriors put on an impressive offensive display on Saturday night, defeating the Gallup Bengals 38-8 in front of a lively home crowd dressed in warrior green.

Gallup began the game with promise, managing to control the ball for nearly eight minutes on their initial drive. Backed by a penalty, the Bengals advanced into Warrior territory, but ultimately fell short as their offense stalled.

On Tuba City’s first possession, junior quarterback Cole Dash quickly set the tone, connecting with senior wide receiver Ryan Benley on a 40-yard pass down the left side. Unfortunately, a penalty nullified a touchdown, keeping the score at zero until a sophomore from Tuba City dashed through defenders for a long touchdown run, marking the beginning of the scoring in the second quarter.

Dash then found junior receiver Timil Yatzie with a 43-yard pass. After a successful extra point attempt, the Warriors led 16-0. Gallup made a push in the second half, reaching the red zone, but a failed fourth-down conversion left them empty-handed. Although junior linebacker Truit Lewis intercepted a pass from Dash, the Bengals once again couldn’t capitalize, allowing Tuba City to head into halftime with a 16-0 lead.

Second Half: Warriors Take Control

After halftime, Tuba City wasted no time. Dash threw to junior receiver Daller Crump, scoring another touchdown that extended their lead to 22-0. Gallup managed to recover a fumble on a punt, but their offensive struggles continued, resulting in another four-and-out.

The Warriors’ defense tightened from there, stifling Gallup’s running game and forcing incomplete passes. Senior quarterback Elijah Eddie entered the game during the second half, offering a passing option, but mistakes and a lack of rhythm kept Gallup scoreless.

In the fourth quarter, Tuba City increased their lead further, as senior running back Shaden Dixon capped a drive with a touchdown, making it 30-0. Just minutes later, Dash and Crump connected once more, with Crump scoring on a catch-and-run play that widened the lead to 38-0.

Gallup finally broke through in the closing minutes when Lewis scored from short range to avoid a shutout, bringing the final score to 38-8.

Coach’s Insights

Warriors head coach Karani Simeona reflected on the game, acknowledging the struggles they faced in the first half—specifically the penalties that hampered them early on. “We worked with these guys in the offseason, so we know what we can do. We need to clear up any mistakes,” he mentioned.

Simeona highlighted the depth of the backfield and the commitment shown during the summer. “We’re deeper at the running back position. It was amazing all summer, with an average of 35 kids showing up each day, four days a week.”

Looking to the future, Simeona is aware that the upcoming schedule will pose a challenge with tough 3A rivals looming. “Next week is a great opportunity to clean up our game as we’re facing strong 3A teams like Page, Ganado, and Window Rock.” He expressed enthusiasm about returning Tuba City to 3A competitive status.

The Warriors (1-0) are set to compete against their cross-street rivals, Grey Hills, before diving into tough matchups against Ganado, Page, and Window Rock. After facing Alkesei on September 26, they’ll have a string of road games before wrapping up the season with another home game against Grey Hills on October 17.

Simeona mentioned the scheduling changes that led to playing Grey Hills. “We were initially supposed to open at Rough Rock, but they didn’t have enough players.” This ultimately led to the matchup adjustment with Grey Hills.

On the flip side, Gallup head coach Lawrence Garcia acknowledged the missed opportunities and the decline of performance in the second half. “Tuba City’s offense was strong, but our tackling really let us down,” he noted.

Garcia described the quarterback rotation between sophomore Tristan Garcia and senior Elijah Eddie, highlighting their differing strengths. “Tristan is mobile and a good runner, while Elijah provides experience. But dropped passes from the receivers hinder our progress. We’re still trying to gel as a unit.”