By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The Raton Tigers traveled down I-25 Friday October 4, to take on district rival West Las Vegas Dons for their first district match of the 2019 football season where cool temperatures, fog and a physical opponent met the boys on the field resulting in a 37 – 0 shutout victory for West.
Raton won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff which went out of bounds giving Raton good field position on their 40-yard line. Three plays later Dylan Quartieri’s pass was picked off giving West the ball on their own 30, a sign of the way things would go the rest of the ball game.
West takes advantage of the turnover and finishes the eight-play drive with a 40-yard romp by Damien Gallegos for six. Isaiah Deane iced the cake, splitting the uprights leaving West on top at 7-0 with 6:55 on the first period jumbo tron.
Raton scratched their way down the field on short yardage runs and sprinkled it with a couple of passes but ended the 13-play drive on downs at the West 25. West goes into the second quarter and punts the ball away with Raton having to do the same seven plays later.
The game continues to go back and forth for most of the first half, until West drives the ball down the field on long yardage plays quickly and ends the half with a short 1-yard pass play from John Balizan to Damien Gallegos for six. Deane tacks on the extra point for a 14-0 lead with only four seconds on the first half clock. West surprised Raton and recovered an onside kick, but an incomplete pass ends the half in the fog at West Las Vegas.
The fog continued , into the second half at times being fairly thick, further challenging the Tigers and adding that feel of fall to the air in Vegas.
Raton’s Jesus Alvarado’s strong leg sent the second half kickoff into the endzone for a touchback and West started the the second half on their own 20. Eight plays later West has a 38-yard touchdown pass play returned on a personal foul penalty, as West was flagged for a late hit way out of bounds. On a strong Raton defensive stand, the Tigers turn the Dons away inside the one yard line and the Tigers take over inside the one.
Raton on a delay of game finds themselves with the tip of the ball on the goal line. Cayden Walton in the QB position finally runs the ball out of harm’s way but Raton is forced to punt after six plays. The third period was scoreless, but West took the ball into the fourth period and with only 27 seconds gone, Balizan finds Estevan Gonzales for a 45-yard pass play for six. Deane shanks the ball, missing the PAT and leaves it 20-0.
Raton fumbles twice on the next series and the second time West recovers the ball and tops off the drive with a 4-yard run by Damien Gutierrez at 8:29. The PAT is good and it’s a 27-0 game.
Despite a 15-yard helmet to helmet, personal foul penalty on West, Raton’s drive is ended when Omar Gallardo picks off a Dylan Quartieri pass and lands in the endzone. West ends the drive after making it down inside the Raton 10 only to have an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty push them back. Deane splits the uprights on a long field goal to make it 30-0.
Another pass interception this time by Eric Duran puts West in position for another score. Seven plays later Damien Gutierrez rambles for 14 yards and pay dirt. The PAT is good and leaves the score 37-0 with 2:32 on the fourth quarter clock.
A personal foul moved the kickoff up and a touch back gave Raton the ball at the 20. Four plays later the final buzzer sounds on this district game with Raton heading home with injured players and a goose egg to start district play. Both Chance Middlebrook and Dre Nash were helped off the field after the game, and both QB Dylan Quartieri and RB Cayden Walton finished the game on the sidelines with possible concussions.
Raton will be in the Jungle for their next two games against Robertson on October 11 and Santa Fe Indian on October 18. Both games will be broadcast on KRTN FM 93.9 and streamed on Facebook.
