By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
New Raton head coach Tori Giacomo and team traveled over the hill and down the road to La Junta Friday for Raton’s season opener on the road and was shut out by the bigger La Junta Tigers 52-0.
This freshman dominated team lead by quarterback senior Dante Mileta had a slow start going four and out on the first series. The defense also had problems getting things to gel as La Junta took their opening drive and went 58 yards in nine plays mostly on the legs of Dominic Brown who took it the final four yards for the TD. Senior Jesus Huerta placed the PAT right down the middle of the uprights and would prove to be a solid kicker throughout the game even making a 38 yard field goal in the second quarter.
La Junta would hold the young Raton team to less than 25 plays in the first half while they managed to cross the goal line five times on the legs of Dominic Brown, Dax Bender and Wyatt Buhr. By half time the La Junta lead the lop-sided game 38-0.
La Junta playing many JV players the second half would rack up two more touchdowns on the running clock quickened half.
Coach Giacomo later told KRTN that he was happy that the boys “never gave up” as they continued to play hard despite the score on the scoreboard. Looking forward to Trinidad this week Giacomo indicated that Raton will work on themselves to prepare for the game.
