By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
It was a bright fall afternoon, perfect football weather at Tiger Stadium for the first round of state football playoff action as Raton hosted the Newcomb Skyhawks Saturday afternoon, November 12th.
As coach Tory Giacomo mentioned after the game, the boys started out a bit sluggish before coming around and putting together a 59-yard drive for six. That drive ended on an eight yard run by Jonathan Cabriales for Raton’s first of six scores on the day and came after holding Newcomb to a six and out on their first series. Cabriales PAT made it a 7-0 ballgame with 5:14 on the first quarter clock.
On Newcomb’s next series the Raton defense held and forced a punt that went high and short leaving Raton great field position at the Raton 45. From there Raton put together a drive that went into the second quarter and finally made it the final five yards despite two penalties. From there Dustin Segura pounded it in for six and the PAT failed leaving it 13-0 with 9:03 on the clock.
Newcomb then fumbled on the kickoff where Nathaniel Tarbox scooped it up and ran it in for a score from about the 23-yard line. The PAT was good making it a 20-0 ball game. Newcomb then put together a drive that ultimately stalled out on the Raton 40 where the Tigers took over on downs. Despite a 10-yard penalty the Tigers made the 60-yard drive and put it in on a 30-yard pass play to Cabriales. The PAT was good making it a 27-0 game with only 1:08 left in the half.
Newcomb once again fumbled on the kickoff giving Raton the ball on the 25. Three plays later Dustin Segura scrambles in from the 8-yardline for six more. The 2-point try failed leaving the score 33-0 with 23 seconds on the clock.
Newcomb would fumble the ball away again this time at the 39. Raton only had 19 seconds to put it in but was unable and tried to kick a field goal that Cabriales snuffed off his foot and ended the half.
Raton received the ball to start the second half but was unable to mount a drive. The punt gave Newcomb the ball on the 40. After stalling however, the Skyhawks faked a punt and made a 54-yard pass play to Jared John for six. The 2-point try worked and made it a 33-8 game.
Raton was unable to make things work for them and was forced to punt it away. Newcomb called for a fair catch and dropped the ball but managed to recover the ball at the 25-yardline. Newcomb then turned the ball over on downs.
Raton ended the drive with a 5-yard run by Richie Acevedo. The PAT failed and it was a 39-8 ball game with 1:15 left in the third.
Newcomb took the ball into the fourth quarter and despite two penalties made a drive down to the three with a 48-yard run followed by a 7-yard run and finally a 3-yard run by Deontay Begay for six and then Begay pounded it in for the 2-point conversion and made it a 39-16 ball game.
Raton returned the favor with a short kickoff return to the Newcomb 40 after a short kickoff. Raton ended the drive on an 8-yard run by Dustin Segura. The 2-point try failed and left it a 45-16 game with 8:34 left on the clock in the fourth.
Newcomb was forced to punt on their next drive and that short punt left it at the Newcomb 29 where Raton moved backwards instead of forward and was forced to punt the ball away.
Newcomb then started the drive from the 19 and went the distance and put it in from the 20-yard line with only 46 seconds on the clock. The 2-point failed and left it 45-22. Raton then took the knee to end the game.
Coach Giacomo has worked with the boys and yet they still are making mistakes at some of the most inopportune times. This is just one of the things they will work on this week before they travel down state to Capitan for the next round of state playoff action. Capitan comes into the bracket ranked number two and have defeated Texico (who beat Raton earlier in the season) rather soundly making it tough game for Raton to prepare for.
