By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The weather was a picture perfect Thursday evening for football, wait Thursday evening high school football? That’s right folks Raton hosted the Guymon, Oklahoma Tigers on Thursday evening August 25, 2022, because of a referee shortage.
It’s been many years since Guymon made the trip to Raton, Homecoming 1968 was the game and as KRTN Sports Announcer Billy D noted they spanked the Tigers. It would be a different game this year as Guymon is in a rebuilding year after a 1-9 season last year noted Head Coach Len Haliburton. Guymon began the game with a three and out with a bad snap resulting in a safety for Raton.
Raton began the drive from the Guymon 47 but was unable to make much headway ending the series with a 44-yard field goal attempt. Another three and out for Guymon and Raton had the ball on their own 39. It took 10 plays to go the 61 yards mostly on the legs of Cayden Walton and two personal foul penalties to get inside the ten. Cayden Walton then pounded through the line for a 3-yard TD with thirteen seconds left on the first quarter clock. Cole Hopper added the extra point for a 9-0 lead.
The second quarter of play went back and forth with Raton’s Anderson Weese creating the excitement with an interception late in the quarter. As the quarter drew to a close Raton finally made it inside the ten but Hopper was unable to complete a 22-yard field goal attempt.
Third quarter action began with a failed on-side kick by Guymon giving Raton good field position on the 47-yard line. Once again Raton made it inside the ten but was unable to put the ball in the endzone and ended the drive with a busted field goal attempt.
Guymon took the ball and went the distance on ten plays and with the help of a targeting penalty resulting in the ejection of Raton’s WD Hyer and placing the ball at the eleven. Three plays later Randall Coble took a pass from QB Tarick Watson for six and then on another pass play added the 2-point conversion for a 12-8 ball game with 3:35 left in the third quarter.
Raton responds by going 60 yards in eight plays ending the drive with an 11-yard run by Cayden Walton to begin the fourth quarter. Hopper adds the PAT for a 19-8 lead. Guymon responds with a 65-yard, eight play series finishing it off in grand fashion with a 49-yard pass play from Watson to Coble for six. The 2-point try failed leaving the score 19-14 with 10:30 left in the fourth.
Raton’s Cayden Walton makes it look easy as he takes the handoff 48 yards for six with only a 1:34 run off the clock. Hopper adds the extra point for a 26-14 game at 9:04 left in the quarter. Guymon does a three and out with a short punt giving Raton the ball on the Guymon 45. Three plays later Jacob Mattorano dives in from the one for six more and a Hopper PAT makes it 33-14.
Guymon will score two more times in the game with a 12 play 67-yard drive culminating in a 2-yard pass Jairo Ponce and a 2-point conversion pass to Coble. The second score coming after a Cayden Walton fumble gives Guymon the ball on the 45. Seven plays later Jesse Ciprian takes the ball in from the three and a Watson pass to Coble adds the 2-point conversion for 33-30 game with 1:03 left on the fourth quarter clock.
Raton takes the knee twice to run out the clock and mark the win column and start the season out with a 2-0 record. Raton will travel the pass to Trinidad for a Friday night Coal Bucket game at 7:00 p.m.
