By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The Raton Tigers and the Santa Fe St. Michaels Horsemen have had some epic football battles down through the years and on a Saturday afternoon, October 14 was no exception as the teams traded the lead throughout the important district 2AAA game and St. Mikes turned back a late Tiger drive to take a narrow 27 – 24 victory.
West Las Vegas leads the district with a 2-0 record having beaten St. Mikes in a 7-6 slugout and then beat Raton 33-21 in a shootout last week. The St. Mikes win broke a three way tie for second in the district, St Mikes followed that loss to West with a shutout of the Robertson Cardinals 21-0 to really mix things up in District 2AAA.
Raton began the game receiving the opening kick, but St Mikes started off by attempting and recovering an onside kick at the Raton 45. On the first play Raton turns the table with an interception at the Raton 15. Raton however couldn’t make things work and went three and out. St Mikes took the punt at the Raton 47.
St Mikes puts it on the ground and took it inside the red zone to the 15. Staying on the ground the Horseman work it inside the 10 and then a pass to Lucas Gurule from QB Reed Bass put it in the end zone for six. The PAT is good for a 7-0 score at 4:36 left in the first quarter.
Raton took the kickoff and moved the ball up the field. Staying on the ground with Joseph Saenz and Cannon Walton, Raton makes it out to the Raton 45. A holding call however sent Raton back but Walton managed to get most of the yardage back and Saenz added the yardage to give Raton a first at the Horseman 43. Raton moved the ball further down the field, but penalties again pushed Raton back for a fourth and 15. Raton did the freeze play twice and gained back 10 yards for a fourth and five. On the pass St Mikes committed a holding penalty and moved Raton inside the 20 at the St Mikes 17. The flags continued to fly, and a holding penalty brought Raton back to the 24. A run by Saenz and a pass to WD Hyer takes the ball to the six with a fourth and three. Raton tops the drive off with a Mattorano pass to Wyatt Berry for six. Hyer misses the PAT to leave it a 7-6 ball game.
Isaiah Dominguez gets 15 on the kick return to give St Mikes good field position at the 35. The Horsemen move into Raton territory with a combination of runs and passes. The Horseman offense stalls and had a fourth and four at the Raton 24. St Mikes went for it and a Reed Bass pass to Brayden Hollis in the end zone is good for six, the PAT falls short for a 13-6 ball game.
Raton moves the kickoff to the 38. Again, on the ground with Saenz and Walton Raton moves the ball down the field. A 21-yard pass play to Wyatt Berry moves the ball down to the St Mikes 28. Another pass to WD Hyer puts the ball inside the 10 to the 8-yard line with just over a minute left in the half. With 26 seconds left Cannon Walton makes the cut and flies into the end zone for six. Hyer missed the PAT leaving the score 13-12 at 22 seconds left in the half. That is the third missed extra point of the game.
Second half action began with St Mikes taking the kickoff and moving the ball out to the 45 for great field position. A busted play and fumble and run gives St Mikes the ball at the Raton 15. The Horsemen pound the ball inside the five where the Raton defense stiffened up and hold St Mikes short of the goal line at the one-yard line. Fourth and goal from the two, Reed Bass put it in the air to Lucas Gurule for six. The PAT is good for a 20-12 score with 7:00 minutes left in the third.
WD Hyer picked up the kick and makes it 18 yards for good field position to start the drive. WD Hyer turns a third and 13 pass play into a first at the St Mikes 29. An 18-yard pass play to Wyatt Berry goes for six. The 2-point conversion is fails and leaves the score 20-18 at 2:52 on the third period clock.
St Mikes makes a 20-yard return to put the ball in Raton territory at the 50. St Mikes moves the ball in the air down to the nine-yard line for a first and goal. Alex Duran goes in for six but was called back on a holding penalty to the 19. The next play Wyatt Berry intercepted the ball and takes it out to the Raton 15. Raton moves the ball into the fourth quarter and a pass play to Mathew Munoz takes the ball into St Mikes territory for a 43-yard pass play to the 38. Another pass play to Berry moves the ball into the red zone at the 18. Raton is unable to move the ball and turns the ball over to the St Mikes on downs.
The Raton defense stiffened up and forces St Mikes to punt the ball away, but a low hike forces the punter to put a knee down and gives the Tigers the ball on the St Mikes at the three, but a fumble puts it back at the five. A face mask penalty moves the ball to the one for a first and goal. Mattorano follows the center into the end zone for six and a offside penalty moves the ball to the one for a closer shot at a 2-point conversion. A false start penalty moves the ball back to the six. The 2-point pass try fails and leaves the score Raton 24-20 at 5:25 on the clock.
The Raton defense held St Mikes to a fourth and three. Reed Bass puts the ball up again and its good for a first in Raton territory. Duran carries the ball down to the Raton 16. A holding penalty moves the Horsemen back to the 26 for a first and 20. Bass throws down the field to Soren Annon for six at 2:33. The PAT is good and makes it a 27-24 ball game.
Raton began the drive at the 20 after a touch back kick. With the help of a personal foul Raton moves out to the Raton 45 with 1:48 on the clock. A long pass down field is dropped and followed by another pass that goes incomplete at 1:26. Raton with a fourth and 10 goes for it with a pass and it falls incomplete to end the drive for Raton and gives St Mikes the ball at the Raton 44. The Horsemen took a knee three times and let the clock run down to end the game 27-24.
Raton ends the regular season at home on Friday, October 20 as LV Robertson comes to the Jungle for a 7 pm kickoff. KRTN will broadcast on 93.9 FM and will stream the video on Facebook.
