By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The 2-1 Raton Tigers traveled down I-25 to Robertson High School Friday night to take on archrival 4-0 Robertson Cardinals for a non-district football game.
Raton Schools student population has dropped over the years to a point that NMAA reclassified Raton down to Class 2A while Robertson has remained in Class 3A. Yet the rivalry continues on the grid iron, a contest that will test the Tigers and hopefully prepare them for district play in what has been a very tough district against the likes of Santa Rosa and Tucumcari.
Raton started the game with the opening kickoff to Robertson. It was short kick giving Robertson the ball on their 34. Robertson fumbles the ball on their first play, Raton recovers on the Cardinal 45. Raton QB Cannon Walton does the keeper breaking tackles and scrambles 43 yards for six. Logan Elliott splits the uprights to make it a 7-0 game with only a minute six run off the clock.
Robertson brings the ball out to their 31 to begin their next series of plays. A combination of runs and throws moves Robertson down the field. It’s a 12-yard pass play for six, the PAT is good for a 7-7 tie game with 8:48 on the clock. Raton brings the kick out to their 31-yard line.
Raton puts the ball on the ground and moves up the field only to be pushed back with a motion penalty. From there the drive stalls with a 4th and five, a punt sends it to the Robertson 35.
Robertson moves the ball down the field on the ground to the Raton 25. The Raton defense stiffens up with two passes that were almost intercepted by Raton. A holding penalty puts Robertson on the 35 for a third and 20. Jesse Gonzalez then scrambles for a 35-yard TD only to have it brought back with another holding penalty to make it a 3rd and 30 from the 45. Robertson ends the drive with a punt into the endzone with five seconds on the first period clock.
Cannon Walton finds a hole and makes it to the Robertson 44 for a 36-yard gain to end the first quarter. From there Raton pounds the ball up the field. They stall out and end up with a 4th and 10 at the Robertson 34 where a pass falls incomplete and turns it over on downs.
Robertson, with a face mask penalty moves the ball down field to the Robertson 38. Robertson continues the to move the ball. George Smith takes it 50 yards for six. The Aaron Doss PAT is good for a 14-7 game.
Raton gets the ball at the 20 and starts the drive up the field in the air. A holding penalty brings a 40 plus yard run back to give Raton a 3rd and 12 from their 18. Raton punts it away, George Smith picks it up and races 62 yards for another Cardinal six at 4:01. Doss splits the uprights for a 21-7 Robertson lead.
Raton is on the 20 after a Doss kick into the end zone for the touchback. The Tigers then struggle to move the ball as the Cardinal defense digs in. A four and out punt gives Robertson the ball on their 47. Robertson struggles then a pass play from Cardinal QB Jesse Gonzalez to George Smith is good for a 45-yard TD. The Doss PAT is good and makes it a 28-7 game at 1:23 left in the half.
Raton takes the second half kickoff at the 20 after a Doss touchback kick. Its four and out with a punt to the Tiger 49 where Robertson takes over. Robertson does a 38-yard pass to the Raton 18. Robertson ends the drive with a nine-yard pass play to Paul Duran. Doss adds the PAT for a 35-7 ball game.
It’s another start at the 20 as Cardinal Aaron Doss pounds the ball into the end zone but a motion penalty pts it back at the 15. Cannon Walton gets a spark and takes the ball 30 yards to the Robertson 49. Two plays later Cannon Walton throws an interception and gives Robertson the ball at their 15.
Robertson begins the drive on the ground and pounds it down the field to the Raton 47. It’s a pass play for a 47-yard TD. Doss adds the PAT and it’s a 42-7 ball game at 3:10 on the third period clock. Raton gets the ball on the 20 with a running mercy clock.
Raton starts out in the air and the ground with another four and out punt to the Raton 46. Robertson lets the clock run out on the third quarter and begin the fourth on the move. Down to the Raton five it’s a run to the end zone from the five Doss adds one for a 49-7 lead.
Raton hands the ball over on a four and out and then Robertson runs out the running clock to end the game. Raton will be at home against the St Mikes Horsemen.
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