By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The 2-0 Tigers hosted the Trinidad Miners for their home opener in the jungle Friday evening September 3, 2021 with the Coal Bucket up for grabs which has been held by Raton for the past three years.
It took Raton less than a minute on the clock to travel 59 yards culminating the drive in a 19 yard pass play from Dylan Quartieri to Chance Middlebrook for six. Cole Hopper added the PAT for a 7-0 lead at 11:02 in the first quarter. The Raton defense took control and held Trinidad to three and out where a Cayden Walton punt return for six was called back on a holding call. Yellow would be the color of the game as both teams committed well over 25 penalties by the end of the game.
Raton ended the next series of plays with a 9-yard run by running back Cayden Walton at 7:24 on the first quarter clock with Hopper adding thee PAT for a 14-0 lead. Another four and out for Trinidad led to a 5-yard TD romp by QB Dylan Quartieri with Hopper adding the PAT for a 21-0 lead with a little over six minutes gone in the first quarter.
It was another short series for Trinidad as the yellow flag pushed them back to the 10-yard line. A punt gave Raton the ball at the 50. Raton culminated the penalty ridden series with a 14-yard pass play to Cannon Walton for six at 1:44. Hopper tied the ribbon on the TD with a upright splitting PAT for a 28-0 lead. On Trinidad’s next series of plays Raton had an interception called but a few plays later a pass interception gave Raton the ball at the 38. Raton would suffer the yellow flag again that called a Cayden Walton 54-yard TD romp back and after 58 minutes of play would finally start the second quarter.
Raton then added another six to the scoreboard with a 31-yard pass play to Ashan Maso at 11:01 on the second quarter clock. The PAT was good and it was a 35-0 Raton lead. Trinidad against the yellow laundry and a tough Raton Defense managed to go 65 yards for six. A short pass to Senior Joe Ross who scrambled 45 yards gave Trinidad their first touchdown of the night. The 2-point conversion was good making it a 35-8 ball game at 5:57 on the clock.
Raton, helped by a 43-yard run by Cayden Walton finished off the drive with a 3-yard run by Dylan Quartieri for six. Hopper added the PAT for a 42-8 lead. Trinidad then struck back quick with another pass from Isaiah Bowman to Joe Ross for a 24-yard play and six more points. The 2-point conversion was good and left the clock with six seconds on it.
As the third quarter began the Raton defense once again controlled things forcing a Trinidad punt and gave Raton the ball at the 50. Two plays later Cayden Walton crossed the goal line for six at 9:10 on the clock. Hopper added the PAT and it was a 49-16 score.
Fighting the yellow flag Trinidad would eventually have to punt the ball away where Cayden Walton took to the sideline running the ball back to about the 45 where a face mask penalty, out of bounds, by Miner Jacob Armijo would erupt into the rumble in the Jungle that would result in five player ejections and the end of the game at 2:28 on the third quarter clock with a 49-16 score. Raton had two players ejected while Trinidad suffered the loss of three players being ejected from the game. Referees then called an end to the 2-1/2 hour game as a result of the fight.
Raton will take their 3-0 record on the road next Friday night for a game in Tucumcari this time against the Tucumcari Rattlers.
