By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton Football travelled south to Las Vegas to take on the Dons Friday night October 6, 2023 for a district game with both teams being matched up pretty well in the win loss columns.
Raton comes into the game with a 4-3 record while the Dons post a 5-2 record, one win was against St Mikes with a 7-6 final score. Raton will travel down to Santa Fe next week to take on the Horseman. While West will host Santa Fe Indian.
Raton began the game receiving the opening kick with Cannon Walton taking the ball to the 34. The drive gets stalled with two procedure penalties. A pass and run gets Raton the yardage back and a first only to fumble it on the next play and give the Dons the ball on the 48. Raton ends the Las Vegas drive forcing a punt and Joseph Saenz returns the punt 80 yards for six. The PAT is good for a 7-0 Raton lead.
West takes the ball to the 35 to start their next drive. After a 25-yard pass play the Dons drive gets stalled by a tough Raton defense and they are forced to once again punt the ball away. Raton lets the ball drop and stop at the Raton 15. Joseph Saenz takes the hand off and breaks a tackle and then sprints 85 yards for another six with 4:38 left in the first period. The PAT falls short for a 13-0 score.
The Kick goes to the Las Vegas 40-yard line. A long pass to Devaughn Kensey takes the ball to the Raton 10. A run from the 10 gives the Dons six. The PAT was blocked by Caleb Salazar to keep the score 13-6.
The Raton drive gets stalled out and Raton is forced to punt the ball away where the Dons bobble the ball but maintain the ball and take over on their 36. WD Hyer picks off the Don’s pass and take over on the Dons 48. Raton commits another, the fourth procedure penalty for make it five yards harder. Then follow it up with a holding penalty where the ball lands on the Raton 33 and finishes the first quarter.
The Raton drive is hampered by penalties, and they find themselves only three yards short of a first and decide to go for the first, but Cannon Walton is caught in the backfield to turn it over on downs. Vegas takes over and can only do a three and out.
From the 36 Raton stays on the ground but is forced to punt the ball away. The Dons take over on their 24. In the air Las Vegas moves down the field, then burn up the clock on the ground. Then a strike in the air from CJ Perea to Devaughn Kensey for a 35-yard pass play that makes it a 13-12 game The PAT is good to tie it up at 13 at 5:21 left in the half.
Raton’s Wyatt Berry takes the ball out to the Raton 31. Raton continues to be plagued by procedure penalties that finally forces Raton to punt the ball away again. The Dons take over on their 40.
The Dons get a 15-yard penalty and move the ball into Raton territory at the Raton 40. Third and long they get a break and get the first down to keep the drive alive. A long pass from Perea to Lorenzo Sanchez takes the ball to the Raton six with 33 seconds left. Perea does the keeper and get six to take the lead at 27 seconds left in the half. The PAT is good to make it a 20-13 game.
Second half action starts with Raton kicking the ball and is bobbled but stays in Dons possession at their 39. The Dons take off on the ground and it’s a 19-yard gain. The Dons take inside the five for a first and goal. Jonathon Gonzales takes the ball in for six. The PAT is good and the score it 27-13.
Raton takes to the ground to start the drive. On third down Jacob Mattorano puts it up and the Dons make the interception and take the ball to the 50. In the air and on the ground the Dons move down the field however turn the ball over on downs and give Raton the ball on the Raton their 37.
Raton is unable to move the ball and are forced to punt where the Dons take over on their 37. The Dons are forced to punt the ball away but a roughing the kicker penalty kept the drive alive. After the penalty at the 50 the Dons continue this series of plays and end the third quarter.
The Dons continue the ground game and move the ball down the field and into the red zone in the air. The Raton defense digs in but a nine-yard run by Jonathan Gonzales adds six to the Dons score. The PAT fails and leaves the score 33-13 at 7:38 left in the game.
Raton takes the kick out to the 30 where Raton goes to the ground with Cannon Walton and Joseph Saenz. Mattorano goes to the air and gets a 20-yard pass play to Mathew Munoz. Another pass, this one to WD Hyer takes the ball another 31 yards. Mattorano in the air to Mario Alverez takes the ball to pay dirt for six and another pass to Alverez makes the 2-point try good, It’s now 33-21.
On the onside kick Raton gets flagged for an offside call and are moved back five for another kickoff. More yellow hankies fly on the kick as a facemask call moves the ball to the Dons 45. The Dons go into clock management to try and burn time off the clock but add five yards on their fourth delay of game penalty. An illegal man down field penalty adds more yardage to make up. Between timeouts and delays the Dons run the clock down to end this district game with a win and go 2-0 in district play while Raton is now 1-1 in district play.
