By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton hosted the Albuquerque Academy Chargers and topped off Homecoming week with a 40-0 win for the hometown crowd that filled the bleachers on a cool Friday night.
The game started off looking good for Raton as the on-side kick to start the game went less than the required 10-yards giving Raton the ball just outside their 45. Richie Avevedo started Raton off with a 22-yard romp and two plays later Raton fumbled only to get the ball back on a fumble two plays later. A long pass into the end zone brought the first flag of the evening with a pass interference call on the Chargers leaving Raton at the 10-yard line. From there Raton went forwards then back and settled for a 33-yard field goal attempt that fell short.
The Chargers went three and out leaving Raton on their 38. Five plays later Aden Vanderwater finds Ismael Tafoya and he scampers the remaining yardage for a 27-yard TD pass and run play. Vanderwater’s extra point try splits the uprights giving Raton the lead they would never lose at 7-0 with 4:28 left on the first quarter clock.
Another three and out for Academy put Raton deep at their own 11. The next two plays went for negative yardage then another pass to Tafoya went 45 yards, Acevedo moved it another 10 and Vanderwater topped it off with a 35-yard scamper with 24 seconds left in the quarter. The extra point was good and it was a 14-0 game.
Three and out for Academy gave Raton another chance at pay dirt which looked doubtful with three incomplete passes before Vanderwater knocked off 41 yards for six. A bad snap squashed the point after attempt and left the score 20-0 at 8:58 in the second.
The Raton defense continued their domination of the Chargers forcing another three and out with the ball on the Academy 49. A pass to Dante Romero for 12 and an end around to Tafoya who raced the 37 yards to pay dirt gave Raton another six and Vanderwater’s PAT made it 27-0 at 6:49.
This time Academy put together a 10-play series that went deep but ended in a pass interception by Dylan Quartieri at the 18. Raton could only manage to go three and out but on the next play Vanderwater intercepted a pass and raced the 52 yards for six only to have it called back on a personal foul. Raton ended the half as the clock ran out before they could get it down the field to the end zone.
Raton continued to power the ball down the field as the second half got underway with a 59-yard pass play to Isaiah Samora. Vanderwater then scampered the remaining 20 yards for another TD only to have it called back on a holding penalty. Three plays later Vanderwater zigs and zags his way for a 21-yard TD. The PAT was wide left and leaving the score 33-0.
Academy once again started a drive but had to punt it away as the Raton defense held on. The punt left Raton with good field position at the 46. Vanderwater found Acevedo for a 25-yard pass play that was helped along with a face mask penalty leaving the ball at the 12-yard line. A sack then a 17yard pass play to Dante Romero added six more to the Raton side of the score board and the PAT split the uprights this time giving Raton a 40-0 lead with 1:39 left in the third.
Academy took the ball into the fourth quarter where Dre Nash ended their 14 play mostly rushing drive with a pass interception giving Raton the ball at the 40. With a running clock Raton managed to keep the ball moving and possession to get the end of the game.
Raton will now look forward to next Friday night when the West Las Vegas Dons come to town to begin the district play half of the season. As the coaches like to say the real play begins now and Raton will have their work cut out for them. Coach Tory Giacomo knows that West has a good team despite their 3/3 record coming into district play. Giacomo noted the team is improving but are still making some of those little mistakes that they will work on during the week’s practice time.
