On a cool fall night, the Raton Tiger football team steamed up the home field Jungle, scoring four TDs, a safety and a special teams punt return, all in the first quarter, and cruised to a 50 – 14 victory over Santa Fe Indian School to remain undefeated at 9 – 0 and 3-0 atop the District 2AAA standings.
The Tiger machine was unstoppable as the Raton O – Line started the game on Raton’s first play by opening a gaping hole for Cayden Walton, who didn’t stop until 70 yards later, and Raton had the lead with only 16 seconds gone in the first quarter, Following a 2-point conversion pass to Chance Middlebrook, it was 8-0.
Cole Hopper’s ensuing kickoff looked like it was going to bounce into the end zone, but fooled the returner and died inside the five. On the first play from scrimmage, Raton’s Mike Chavez, playing in his first game of the year for Raton, pushed the ball carrier back into the end zone for a safety and Raton lead 10 – 0 with only 30 seconds gone. On the free kick from Santa Fe, Raton’s Dre Nash returned it to the Braves 29 and on the first play of that drive Dylan Quartieri found Matt Quartieri for a 29 yard pass giving Raton a 17 – 0 advantage with less than a minute gone in the game.
Santa Fe got a first down and a face mask penalty added on, took the ball to the 40, but Raton’s defense forced a punt and Raton took over on the Braves 43 yard line. It didn’t take Raton’s Cayden Walton long as the junior scored on the first play again in the drive and Raton’s lead was 24 -0 with 8:24 left in the first.
A three and out pitched by the Raton defense gave Chance Middlebrook a chance to show his speed and his 39 yard punt return for a TD made it 30 – 0 and a missed PAT kick was the only thing that went wrong for the Tigers first team all night.
A sack by Zach Lose on first down of Santa Fe’s next possession and a fourth down sack by Hank Coronado gave Raton a first down at the Braves 27 yard line. Again, the Raton offense struck with first down lightning as the connection of Dylan and Matt Quartieri hit again on a 27 yard scoring pass and a 37 – 0 lead with time running out in the first quarter.
The Raton D closed the door and gave the offense another chance as the second quarter began, as coach Tori Giacomo started substituting liberally and after a 29 yard run by Adrian Romero, Canon Walton found Wyatt Berry on a fourth down pass for a 9 yard score and after Brandon Robertson’s PAT, Raton lead 44-0.
Santa Fe, would then get a good kick off return and started from the Raton 40 culminated by an 11 yard scoring run by Kenyon Callado and a 2 PAT conversion by Chance Platero and with 3:20 left in the first half, Raton’s lead was 44 – 8.
Santa Fe would get the ball to start the 3rd quarter and after another good kickoff return, the Braves kept it for seven plays and a pass from Callado to Leonard Baldonado from 25 yards out for their final score of the game with 6:14 left in the third.
Raton’s final score came on the next possession as Canon Walton had a 23 yard run and a face mask penalty to give Raton the ball just on the Santa Fe side of the 50. Wyatt Berry would take a short pass from Walton and would go all the way across the field for the 49 yard score with just under 4 minutes left in the third.
The continuous clock and a 15 play drive by Santa Fe gobbled up the third and most of the fourth quarter clock. Raton’s defense got stingy after a first and goal turned into a fourth down incompletion and Raton was able to run out the clock for the win.
Raton will get a bye week next week and will watch as St. Mikes and Las Vegas Robertson play. If St. Mikes wins, they would be tied with Raton at 3 – 0 in District play then will travel to end the regular season to Santa Fe St. Michaels on October 30 for the 2AAA District Championship. KRTN will broadcast the game which has a 12 noon kickoff.
