Raton Keeps Coal Bucket After 34-6 Win Over Trinidad

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

Raton brings the Coal Bucket home Friday night, August 31st with a 34-6 win over the Miners in their first game of the season.

Anticipation grew as a lightning delay pushed back the start of the annual Coal Bucket game by some 20 minutes Friday night with Trinidad fielding a small scrappy team of 16 players after struggling to even get a team put together.  Raton turned the ball over on downs to Trinidad on their 37 to start the game off. Trinidad moved the ball with short runs but, they too turned the ball over on downs at the Raton 45.

On Raton’s second possession,  a 35 yard pass play to Cayden Walton moved the ball inside the 10 yard-line. From there it was Richie Acevedo making two runs to finally put the ball in the end zone for six. Aden Vanderwater’s PAT was good to make it a 7-0 game early in the first quarter. The scoreboard clock at Miner’s field did not work the entire game.

The next couple of series of plays saw both teams struggle to move the ball with both teams turning the ball over on downs. Raton finally got the ball deep in Trinidad territory but struggled with a couple of penalties before Ismael Tafoya made an 11-yard run for his first score. Vanderwater split the uprights and it was a 14-0 game sometime in the first quarter.

Trinidad did another six plays and turned the ball over on downs. Raton then put the ball in the air with two incompletes, before Vanderwater hit Richie Acevedo for a 22-yard catch and run play. An unsportsmanlike penalty against Trinidad and a holding call against Raton moved the ball up and down the field to about the 10-yardline. The series culminated in a one yard pass play to Ismael Tafoya for six with 13 seconds left the first half clock according to the referees. Vanderwater’s PAT was good and left the score 21-0.

Third quarter action began with a delay of game penalty on Trinidad, but they turned it around eight plays later with a 45 yard scamper by quarterback Matt Martinez to put Trinidad on the scoreboard with six. The 2-point try failed as Brandon Robinson was tackled in the backfield to leave the score 21-6.

A failed onside kick attempt left Raton on the Trinidad 45 but the Tigers were unable to take advantage of the field position. Raton turned the ball over on downs at the Trinidad 17. Trinidad did it again on an end around run, but this time Aden Vanderwater managed to catch Matt Martinez but not before he scrambled for 50 yards taking the ball inside the Raton 20. Two plays later however Trinidad shot themselves in the foot getting two 15 yard personal fouls to move the ball back 30 yards. Raton took over on downs and moved the ball down the field where once again Richie Acevedo found pay dirt on an 8-yard run. The PAT was good and it was a 28-6 game to end the third quarter.

The fourth quarter started with Raton successfully making an onside kick and starting at the Trinidad 45, where Aden Vanderwater then scampered the 45 yards to pay dirt for six. The PAT was blocked by Antonio Sanchez leaving the score 34-6.

Raton recovered the Trinidad fumble on the kickoff at the 45 but were unable to move the ball effectively and turned it over at the Trinidad 25. Trinidad was forced to punt after six plays. Raton then struggled with penalties and went backwards instead of forwards and were finally forced to punt where Trinidad took over with good field position on the Raton 46. Trinidad started the series with an unsportsmanlike penalty that ejected Calvin Duran followed by the coach getting another personal foul resulting in another 30 yard loss on penalties taking the ball back to the 20 where one play later the game ended.

Coach Tory Giacomo noted that the boys look much better than last week but they still had a few rookie mistakes. With a little work and practice coaches finally helped center Garrett Kelly find a way to hike the ball and he only had a couple of bad snaps compared to the several from last week which coach Giacomo was happy with.

Raton will be back in the Jungle to take on Socorro for a 7:00 p.m. game on Friday September 7.