Tucumcari Wins Game Point Spread Gives Raton District Title

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

With one second left on the fourth quarter clock Matthew Gomez lines up for a 42-yard field goal and it barely makes the crossbar for the 2-point 16-14 win over the Tigers Friday night in the Jungle.

Based on the point spread from the Raton Santa Rosa game and the Tucumcari Santa Rosa game Tucumcari had to win by six or more points to win the district title. The two-point win gives Raton the district title for 2026.

As the game got underway Tucumcari took the opening kickoff and went five and out with a punt. Raton took the ball in for 11 plays before a Raton fumble turned the ball over to the Rattlers on their 18-yard line. From there the ball goes back and forth until the 11th play of Tucumcari’s third series where Cameron Mascarenas picked off Jadon Navarro pass deep in Raton territory.

Raton, however, couldn’t do much with the ball and would turn it over on downs. Tucumcari followed with a punt and Raton finally would take advantage of the good field position form the Tucumcari 47. With the help of a penalty Raton ended up in the red zone at the five-yard line where Harlem Coley pounds the ball over the goal line for six. Cooper King adds the PAT for a 7-0 lead at 4:17 on the second quarter clock. The remainder of first half of play would see the ball go back and forth until Raton’s Braylon Walton would take a knee to end the half.

Second half action went much the same back and forth until Tucumcari takes the ball into the red zone where Jeremy Jones takes the ball five yards for six. Matthew Gomez adds the PAT for tie game at seven with 59 seconds left on the third quarter clock.

The ball went back and forth again, then on the third series Tucumcari makes a 24-yard pass play from Jadon Navarro to Brandon Gonzales for the go-ahead score. A personal foul penalty moves the ball back 15 yards for the PAT where Matthew Gomez shanks the ball and leaves the score 13-7 with 4:30 on the fourth quarter clock.

Raton takes the kickoff and drives down the field with the clock ticking down. Finally, 10 plays later inside the five-yard line it takes Raton four more plays and a penalty to get the ball over the goal line with a Harlem Coley run to pay dirt with only 48 seconds left on the clock. King adds the PAT for a 14-13 lead.

Tucumcari moves the ball down the field as the clock continues to run and gets a pass play out of bounds to stop the clock with one second left. Out comes the field goal unit with Michael Crouch to tee up the ball for Matthew Gomez. Gomez takes the steps and kicks the ball that just misses the crossbar for the three-points field goal and the 16-14 win.

Playoff action will begin next week with brackets coming out on Sunday and with District 2A in a three way tie at 2-1 district records all three teams should see playoff action.