Tigers End Season in Albuquerque
By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
A beautiful day for football at Milne Stadium in Albuquerque quickly turned dismal for the Raton Tigers as the Hope Christian Huskies took just under two minutes to put their first six on the scoreboard on their way to a 68-33 trouncing to begin the first round of state tournament football action.
The Huskies Luke Dye caught a Caleb Hagen-Meyer pass for a 40-yard play to pay dirt. Michael Birach split the uprights to make it a 7-0 game with 10:05 on the clock.
Raton could only pull off a five play series before they turned it over on downs at the Huskies 36 yard line. The Huskies moved the ball down to the fourteen where Hagen-Meyer tossed the ball into the hands of Chris Roland for six more. Birach once again split the uprights and it was a 14-0 score.
Another four and out for Raton put the ball on the Huskies 36, where they once again drove the ball down the field to the 12 yard line to start the second quarter. From there Hope went backwards and finally put it in the end zone with a 24-yard pass play to yet another Huskie, Luke Dye. With 10:13 on the second quarter clock Birach made it a 21-0 game.
Raton went five and out with the punt putting Hope at their 21-yard line were four plays later they added six more with a 35 yard pass play to Isaac Hessinger. 7:25 on the clock the Raton players were heard to say, “we can’t stop them.”
A blocked punt put the ball on the Raton 10 where Hope once again with a 12 man on the field penalty went backwards but finally put it in with a 13-yard pass play to Chris Roland. The PAT was good and it was a 35-0 ball game. Raton Coach Brock Walton later said, “You spot a team 35 points before you really start playing and you’re never going to win that football game.”
Raton did come alive and put together a 65-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard pass play from Cam Baird to Caleb Wood. Toby Henson’s PAT hit the cross bar and fell back. Raton was finally on the scoreboard, 6-35 with 2:43 on the clock.
Caleb Wood ended the Hope drive when he picked off a Hagen-Meyer pass and took it to the Raton 36. Raton put together a drive with the help of an offside and personal foul penalty, took the ball to the Huskies 19. Raton continued to pound the ball and ended the drive with a two-yard run by Cam Baird with six seconds on the clock. Baird punched the 2-point conversion in and made it a 14-35 game.
The big plays continued in the second half as Mario Burgarello picked off a Cam Baird pass and scrambled 30 yards to pay dirt on the first play of the half. Birach’s PAT hit the right upright and left the score 41-14.
Raton put together a scoring drive that ended with an 11-yard run by Cam Baird with 8:26 on the clock. Henson’s PAT was good, it was a 21-41 score.
An onside kick left the ball on the Hope 40 where Hagen-Meyer put it up and found Chris Roland for a 60-yard pass play for six. The PAT went wide and it was a 47-21 game.
Raton gave up the ball on downs at the Raton 48 three plays later it was another Hagen-Meyer to Roland pass play for a 52-yard touchdown. Birach nailed the PAT and it was a 54-21 game.
Raton takes the kickoff and pounds the ball 68 yards and finishes the drive off with a two-yard Jordan Mendez run for six. Henson’s PAT failed, leaving it 27-54 with 52 seconds left in the third.
Luis Ruiz ends the third for Hope with a pass interception, but Raton couldn’t capitalize on the turnover and left Hope with the ball on the Husky 23. Hope finished off the long drive with a one-yard romp by Hagen-Meyer for a Huskie TD with 8:20 on the clock.
Raton put together a 60-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard run by Toby Henson for six. Darrick Stoeker filled in for Henson on the PAT attempt and shanked it. The score was left at 33-61.
Hope gave Raton the ball at the Raton four-yard line when the Raton defense held strong and stopped the Huskies. On the second play Husky Nick Martin pulled in a pick six from about the 15-yard line. Birach nails the PAT with 3:16 on the clock. It was now 68-33 and the remainder of the game would be on a running clock.
Three plays later Isaac Hessinger picks off another Cam Baird pass and puts an end to the game.
Coach Walton told the boys after the game that he was very proud of them and how they played it just wasn’t meant to be. Hope will go on to play the Silver City Colts in Silver City next week.
