By Don Ketchum

Finally!

After more than two years of frustration, Yuma Catholic’s football team took care of rival Phoenix Northwest Christian.

That the Shamrocks did it in Saturday’s first Division V championship game made it all the sweeter.

Yuma Catholic rolled up a 21-12 lead and held off a rally by the Crusaders when it recovered a late fumble for a 21-19 victory at the Northern Arizona Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff.

Yuma Catholic and Norhwest Christian both finished 13-1. The title was the first for a Yuma-area football team since Yuma High tied Phoenix South Mountain for the big-school crown in 1959.

Since the 2009 season, Northwest Christian had defeated Yuma Catholic four times, including twice in 2010, when the two teams met for the old Class 2A crown, and in the regular-season opener this year.

Not this time.

Yuma Catholic clearly was the aggressor, spotting Northwest a 6-0 lead and then moving in front 7-6. The Shamrocks, coached by Yuma High alum Rhett Stallworth, did not trail after that.

The Shamrocks kept Arizona career rushing leader Casey Jahn in check most of the day, although he did score three touchdowns.. Northwest Christian missed a PAT after the first score and misfired on a couple of field-goal attempts.

Meanwhile, Yuma Catholic surprisingly unleashed a powerful ground game of its own, led by Kody Hazlett and Ryan Gill. Hazlett rushed for 153 yards. The Shamrocks mixed in some passes from strong-armed quarterback Tommy Pistone, and Northwest Christian’s heralded defense was on its heels.

“We just kept running the ball, pounding it at them,’’ Pistone said. “I’m happy for the offensive linemen. They’re mostly first-year starters and they did a great job.

“This is what we’ve worked 14 weeks for.’’