Dons Survive Tigers Last Ditch Effort for a 14-7 Win

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

The Raton Tigers (2-1) travelled down the big “I” to West Las Vegas (3-0) for a non-conference rivalry game on a Thursday evening September 10, 2026.

The Tigers defended the north goal and kicked off to the Dons to begin the game in West Las Vegas. Vegas took the KO to the 47-yard line. From there the Dons take to the air and on a third and long the QB takes it for a first down. The Dons go for it on a 4^th and seven and turn it over to the Tigers on downs at the Raton 32.

Raton’s Luciano Castillo takes it 47 yards on the pitch from Braylon Walton to the West 26. Raton then went back for a third and 21. Walton then gets sacked at the Raton 49. Raton puts up a short punt and gives it to the Dons on the 40. The Dons go to the ground then to the air and end up with a great play to the move down to the Raton 19. A holding penalty moves the Dons back 10 with a 2^nd down and long. A pass play to DeAndre Dosanjos gives the Dons a first and goal at the nine. Then a pass play to John Vigil gives the Dons the lead and an Aric Johnson PAT makes it a 7-0 game.

The KO goes to the Raton 25-yard line and personal foul penalty moves it to the 40. The Tigers then take the ball into the second quarter. Raton keeps the ball on the ground and take into the Dons’ territory. A mix of running and passing Raton moves down the field. A holding penalty however moves the ball back to the 32 for a first and 20. Dons’ Aj Trujillo picks off a Braylon Walton pass to give West the ball.

Moving into Tiger territory the Dons come up with a 4^th and 10 and punt it away with Raton taking the ball at the Raton 19. Cael Walton squirms and gets a 16-yard run. As the Tigers move down the field a fumble is recovered by Raton for a third and three then Cael Walton takes into West territory at the 45. A personal foul penalty moves the ball down to the 31. A penalty gives Raton the ball on the 11. The clock worked against Raton as they had a 3^rd and nine with 19 seconds left in the half. Unable to get the ball over the goal line leaves the first half score West 7-0.

 Second half action began with Raton taking the KO to the Raton 30. A holding penalty moves Raton to their 20 for a 1^st and 20. Raton is unable to move the ball, and an offsetting personal foul penalty leaves the ball just outside the 15. Raton punts the ball away and gives the Dons the ball at their 43.

West goes to the ground and then Caydin Encinias loses the ball, and Raton recovers the fumble at the Raton 46. A pass play to Castillo moves it down to the Dons 39. It’s a 4^th and long with a pass to Cooper King but a block in the back brings the ball back to the 35. Cael Walton gets most of the yardage back for a 1^st at the Dons 25. Cael Walton gets Raton into the Red Zone for only the second time in the game. A motion penalty gives Raton a 4^th and 14. Braylon Walton had to pull it down and run for the first at the 14. Cael Walton moves the ball up to the four for a 1^st and goal at the four. Cael Walton drives it in from the four for six. Cooper King puts the PAT through the uprights for a tie game at seven.

West brings the KO to the 30 but a personnel foul adds 15 to move it to the 45-yard line. The ball gets knocked out and Raton gets the fumble on the West 48-yard line. Raton once again holds and negates a nine-yard gain back to the Raton 44. Raton again struggles this time with penalties and moves more back than forward. Raton is forced to punt the ball away and gives West the ball at the Raton 40 after a 10-yard return.

West started the series with a holding call, and a sack moves West back to their 47. West goes in the air and moves the ball to the 22. Another pass play gives West six and Johnson’s PAT makes it a 14-7 game.

On the KO Cael Walton goes up the middle only to find the yellow hanky littering the field. Raton finds themselves on the 25 after a holding penalty takes it to the 10 then a personnel foul call on West moves the ball back to the 25. Raton mixes the plays and moves the ball down the field. Into West territory at the 40 with only 5:00 left in the game. Cael Walton gets the first but loses the ball however the Referee indicates the ball was down for a first on the 26. The clock continues to move and the penalty in the end zone moves the ball to the 10-yard line with 1:43 on the clock. Its 3^rd and goal at the ten with 46 seconds left down by seven. Walton fumbles and gets it back for a 4^th and goal at the 15, 39 seconds left. The pass to Ayon was incomplete and turns it over on downs to West at the West 15. West takes a knee to end the game 14-7.

 Raton will be on the road again next week as they travel down to Estancia on Friday September 18 for another non-conference game before coming home for homecoming against Laguna Acoma.