By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton traveled to La Junta Thursday evening September 26, 2019, yes you read that right Thursday evening football in La Junta because of referee shortages, a problem that is becoming more prevalent as the year moves on.
La Junta has only played four games so far this season and have a 2-1 record with both wins at out of town games (MaxPreps doesn’t have a score for La Junta’s last game). Raton goes into the contest with a 3-2 record. Raton will begin their district season next week October 4, at West Las Vegas.
Freshman Cayden Walton had another great game last week against Escalante running for 248 yards while quarterback Dylan Quartieri brings 670 passing yards to the game averaging 16.3 yards per pass.
Raton was forced to punt on their first series leaving La Junta at their 48-yard line. La Junta took the ball and simply pounded it down the field all the way to the Raton 8-yard line where they turned the ball over on downs.
Raton manages to get the ball out over the 25 but is forced to punt the ball away. Things turn Raton’s way as Antonio Chavez bobbles the ball and Raton’s Garrett Kelly recovers the ball for Raton. Walton then carries it 21 to the La Junta 35 on the next play a hold sends the ball back to the La Junta 40. Raton however can’t capitalize on the punt drop and turns the ball over on downs at the La Junta 33.
La Junta takes the ball into the second quarter once again pounding the ball down the field as Ryan Malden becomes the primary ball carrier for La Junta. Malden then scampers 38 yards for six. The PAT falls short of the goalpost leaving it a 6-0 ball game at 9:58 in the second quarter.
Raton gives it a good shot but is finally forced to punt the ball away from the La Junta 49. The Jesus Alvarado punt takes a Raton bounce and rolls over the goal line giving La Junta the ball out at the 20. After a hold and play La Junta’s Anthony Torres flies 74 yards for another La Junta six. La Junta does a double reverse and completes the pass for the 2-point conversion leaving it 14-0 with 5:40 on the second period clock.
Raton can only do another four plays before being forced to punt the ball away. La Junta takes it over at their 27. Two holding penalties forces La Junta to punt and Raton takes over on their 22 after a long punt with only 1:41 left in the quarter. Again, unable to move the ball very far Raton is forced to punt it away giving La Junta the ball on the Raton 47. La Junta ends the half on the ground.
La Junta takes the second half kickoff at the 20 after Alvarado puts it in the end zone and goes on an 8-play drive with Antonio Chavez finishing it off with a 34-yard run to pay dirt and six. The PAT is good to make it 21-0 with just under 9:00 on the clock.
Raton does another three and out with La Junta taking over on their 26. The Raton defense holds true and forces La Junta to punt it away giving Raton the ball on their 35. Raton unable to move the ball down the field punt the ball away after a penalty negates a first down run by Walton.
Four Plays later La Junta’s Antonio Chavez scampers 73 yards for six more Tiger points. The PAT is no good leaving the score 27-0. Raton will take the kickoff to end the third quarter. La Junta holds Raton to a three and out, but Alvarado fakes the punt and carries the ball to the 32 a 41-yard run. A targeting penalty and unsportsman like penalty move Raton to the 10 but a hold brings it back to the 20. A pass to Matthew Quartieri goes 20 yards for six Raton points. Alvarado’s PAT is good it’s now a 27-7 ball game in the fourth at 8:40 remaining.
La Junta pounds the ball down the field and puts it inside the red zone. They struggle with a procedure penalty with the ball on the eight a Frankmore pass finds a LJ Tiger for six more, the PAT goes wide and leaves the score 33-7 with 4:08 on the clock left in the game.
Raton takes the ball on the 20 and Walton takes the ball 69 yards to the La Junta 11. Raton gets the ball to the 2-yard line and Walton finishes it off a two-yard run for six. Alvarado ices the cake and it’s a 33-14 ball game.
Raton then gets another break when La Junta loses the ball and Raton recovers it on the La Junta 28. Two plays later Raton loses the ball and La Junta recovers on the 23 with 1:48 on the clock. La Junta punts the ball away with 15 seconds left leaving Raton to run the clock down at the 43-yard line where the Dylan Quartieri pass falls incomplete to end the game.
