The Raton Tigers played their first District 2AA football game of the season on the road on Thursday night, October 3rd at Bernalillo High School Stadium against the Legacy Academy Silverbacks and although Raton had a handful of Red Zone opportunities, penalties and turnovers killed any scoring and Legacy won 34 – 0.
It was the third straight undefeated team the Tigers had faced and Legacy now sports a 6 – 0 won-lost season while the Tigers fell to 2 – 4.
Things started well for Raton as a pooch kick was recovered by the Tigers Colt Ayon to give them good field position at the Silverbacks 30. Then a run of 11 by QB Cannon Walton gave them a first and ten from the Legacy 19. A swing pass to Joseph Saenz gave them 3rd and three from the five, but then a holding penalty preceeded a deflection interception by #3 Christian Perez who went the distance with the pick six, but a personal foul brought it back to the 31 yard line.
On their first offensive possession, Legacy receivers had hands of stone and dropped two consecutive passes so they punted and Raton took over on the 48 yard line. Then on a third and five a 48 yard TD pass from Cannon to Cael Walton was called back on a holding penalty, which would become a recurring theme all night.
Legacy’s next possession had a holding flag negate a 33 yard run by senior Noah Sanchez and they punted again. Raton took over in Legacy territory and would penetrate the Red Zone again with Joseph Saenz at running back taking it to the 25. Raton couldn’t get any closer and turned it over on downs.
The first quarter wound down with Raton’s defense aided by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Legacy to give Raton the ball at the 48. Raton ate up most of the second quarter clock on its next drive which had Cannon Walton get an ankle turned and would exit the game for a few plays. After another holding penalty, Azden Romero came in to throw a 12 yard completion to Wyatt Berry, but the drive stalled again at the 27 and when the Silverbacks got the ball back, two strong runs by Lorenzo Sedillo-Urban including a 28 yard TD run for the first points of the game with just under 4:00 left in the half.
The points opened up the floodgates for Legacy as Raton went three and out and then it only took three plays one a 23 yard completion to David Lavery and then a 43 yard completion for a TD to Ayden Pimentel with 2:17 left in the half.
Legacy didn’t take long to pile on more after they get it back with the help of another Raton penalty and then a lumbering run from Noah Sanchez followed by a 20 yard TD reception to Adam Quesada and with the PAT it was 21 – 0 at the half.
Raton received the 3rd quarter kickoff and Wyatt Berry had a good return up the middle followed by an 18 yard reception to Cael Walton. Raton got into the Red Zone again, but again a procedure penalty momentarily stopped the Tigers and then a Raton fumble put a permanent stop to the threat at the 13 yard line.
The Silverbacks chewed up a lot of clock on their next possession before they turned it over on downs.
On Raton’s next possession David Lavery interecepted a Walton pass but then on the first play of Legacy’s possession, Raton’s Joseph Saenz returned the favor and Raton would again get a penetration this time a first and goal at the five after a Cannon to Cael connection. As the fourth period starts Raton fumbled on a third and goal from the four and recovered, but couldn’t get in from the 7 on a fourth down incompletion.
On the next Legacy offensive possession, tempers flared and after a brief scuffle, off setting unsporstmanlike conduct penalties and one player was ejected from each team.
Adam Quesada got a 68 yard Pick Six score late in the fourth, and then a fumble on a high snap for Raton, gave Legacy another short field and the scoring was finished by Noah Sanchez’s 10 yard run.
Raton will be at home next Friday, Ocotber 11 for Homecoming against Tucumcari.
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