By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The boys of fall once again took to the field as Raton hosted the Tohatchi Cougars for not only the season opener but the home opener as well on a warm Friday night in the Jungle and boy what a Raton game it was as the defense held strong and kept the Cougars scoreless through the final buzzer.
The Cougars made the five and half hour drive to Raton to face what was described as a very young and inexperienced offense as Elliot Logan is the only returning player on the offensive line this year for the Tigers. Senior Cannon Walton moved from running back to the QB position this year. The defense returned several players and it showed as Raton held the Cougars to a shut out 41-0.
Raton won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball and face the wind in the first quarter which proved to be a problem especially when Raton was forced to punt the ball away on their first series of downs. The punt only went nine yards and Tohatchi took over on the Raton 31. It was four an out for the Cougars and then on the first play Cannon Walton keeps the ball and scampers 80 yards to pay dirt for Raton’s first score of the game. Logan Elliot added the extra point and made it a 7-0 game with 8:28 left in the first quarter.
The remainder of the first quarter and into the second quarter the teams traded turf back and forth until Raton recovered a Tohatchi fumble on the Raton 34. Two plays later Joseph Saenz takes a Cannon Walton pitch out and burns up 74 yards for another Raton score. Elliot misses the PAT and leaves the score 13-0 at 6:32 on the clock.
The Raton defense holds Tohatchi to another four and out and take over the ball on the 10 yard line after a bad snap rolls into the end zone where the punter Titus Francisco picks it up and carries it out to the 10. Three plays later Cannon Walton rolls left and around the line for six. Raton goes for the 2-point try and makes it work despite a batted ball that is caught by Wyatt Berry in the end zone to make it 21-0 with 3:12 left in the second quarter.
Two plays later Camron Edmondson brings in a Tristen Begay pass and gives Raton the ball on the Tohatchi 33. Four plays later Walton tosses one to Elijah Kenney for six from the Tohatchi 15 yard line. Elliot adds the PAT and makes it 28-0 with 1:30 left in the first half.
The second half of the game starts out slow and then Tohatchi intercepts a Cannon Walton pass and they take the ball into the red zone but the Raton defense holds tough even making an interception that Luciano Castillo takes over 100 yards for six that was called back on a pass interference penalty. Tohatchi turns the ball over on downs at the Raton 11.
Eight plays later its Walton to Walton as Cannon puts one up to Cale for a 62 yard pass play for six. Elliot kicks wide right and leaves the score at 34-0 with 5:49 on the third quarter clock.
Tohatchi takes the ball into the fourth quarter and turns the ball over on downs at the Tohatchi 47. With a little help from the bench Raton takes six plays to move the ball inside the 10 yard line. Three plays later its a four yard pass from Cannon Walton to Wyatt Berry for six. Elliot adds the PAT for a 41-0 score with 8:16 on the clock and the running clock begins.
Raton puts a nail in the coffin with an interception by Gage Alford to give Raton the ball on the 50 yard line where they ran the clock out to start the season off with a mark in the win column.
Next week the Tigers will host the Lamar Thunder in the Jungle at 7:00 p.m. Lamar is in Division 2A in Colorado.
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