The Raton Tiger football team didn’t have many advantages heading into the regular season finale at Santa Fe St. Mikes on Saturday, Nov. 2nd, but the Tigers ignored all the possible negatives and went out and played one of their most complete games of the season to take a convincing 34 -13 win.
The victory evened the Tigers season at 5 -5 and also evened their District 2AAA record at 2-2, but more importantly, gave them a big boost to be invited to the NM State AAA Football Championships. The Tigers were on the bubble and a poor showing on Saturday, could’ve kept them home for the playoffs. But with the win, the Tigers received an 8 seed and will have a rematch with the Horsemen for a first round tournament game for AAA next weekend.
On the road at a traditionally tough place to win and playing their only afternoon game of the year, the Tigers were coming off a bye week and had to practice on a snow-covered field all week in preparation for the game, so the Tigers certainly had many excuses should they lose. But the Tigers seem to be jelling and putting it all together at the end of a roller-coaster season that has seen them either win big or lose big. The Tori Giacomo-coached team has many positives including a senior heavy offensive and defensive line, team speed, a good kicking game and the state’s leading AAA rusher, Freshman Cayden Walton. Walton has benefitted from a big, experienced O-Line that has been together for four years and went into the game with the Raton single season record, the Raton single-game rushing record (265 yards), and longest run from scrimmage (99 yards),
Because of Walton’s success, defenses have been keying on him and so his average of almost 175 rushing yards per game numbers are even more impressive. The Raton coaching staff has been using different formations and plays to give Walton the touches, but also has been utilizing other talent and speed on the ground of Isaiah Samora, Jesus Alvarado and QB Dylan Quartieri. Only a sophomore, Quartieri’s accuracy and decision-making have been steadily improving all season.
The Tigers started the game on offense after St. Mikes deferred and wasted no time in establishing an offensive rhythm as Quartieri connected with Isaiah Samora for a 39 yard TD pass to set the tone for the game as the Tigers never were headed.
Raton’s defense also came up big all day. A Vern Edwards tackle prevented the Horsemen from converting on a fourth and five on their first possession and then on the ensuing drive, Raton committed its first of two turnovers by fumbling with St. Mikes recovering on the 30. Two plays later a 70 yard bomb found its way to Rico Gurule and the score was tied at 6 apiece with less than a minute left in the first quarter.
The Tigers found their own lightning 40 seconds later, when a screen to Alvarado, resulted in a 60 yard score. Alvarado also added the Point After and it was a 13-6 Raton lead.
In the second quarter a Garrett Kelly sack forced a St. Mikes punt and Cayden Walton escaped for a 34 yard TD scamper to give Raton a 20-6 lead.
The Raton defense forced a three and out but an interception on the Raton drive gave the Horsemen the ball on the 30 and on a second and goal, Lucas Montoya made it a 20-13 game with just under three minutes left in the half.
Tobias Tapia-Muniz recovered the squib kick by St Mikes, but when the Raton drive stalled out, the St Mikes defense came up big by sniffing out and stopping a fake punt on fourth and short.
St Mikes was driving for the tie and with under a minute in the half connected on a flea-flicker and then from the 20 threw a pass which was intercepted by Isaiah Samora at the Raton five yard line, to preserve the touchdown lead at the half.
In the third quarter, St Mikes QB Lucas Coriz completed a long bootleg pass to the Raton 15 yard line. A sack by Devon Ramirez and the Raton defense forced an incompletion on fourth and five from the 10.
St. Mikes defense threw a three and out at Raton and Raton returned the favor after another Ramirez sack. St Mikes then three and outs the Raton offense, but on the ensuing Raton punt, St. Mikes muffs the punt and Raton takes over n the 40 yard line. After converting a fourth down, Raton scores on a third and goal with a Quartieri swing pass to Walton and leads 27-13 with just over 10 minutes left in the game.
A sack by Raton’s Caleb Sena preceeded a Cayden Walton interception, but Raton could not finish and had to punt.
Walton would later get another interception after another Devon Ramirez sack and then with 2:05 left in the game, Raton put it out of reach with a Walton 39 yard run and the score 34-13 would become final.
Walton finished the regular season with 1,721 yards on 204 carries for an 8.4 yards per carry average and 17 TDs. Walton also had 16 receptions for 299 yards (16.7 yards per catch) and 1 TD. Walton amassed 2,020 yards from scrimmage and 18 total TDs.
The Tigers will have a rematch with the Horsemen the weekend of Nov 8, 9 in the first round of the NM AAA Football Tournament. The game will e broadcast on KRTN FM 93.9 and will be streamed on KRTN’s Facebook page.
