The Raton Tigers and the Estancia Bears matched up evenly on paper before their Friday night matchup, but on their home field Estancia took advantage of four Raton turnovers and of the legs of sophomore QB Devon Chavez’s to hang onto a 40 – 39 thrilling win in 2A football.
Raton started quickly on their first possession with Cael Walton taking the handoff and racing 75 yards for a touchdown and with the Cooper King PAT, the Tigers led with less than 2 minutes gone in the game.
Raton’s #1 ranked defense against the run in 2A kept the Bears in check and they punted to Raton. When Raton’s drive came to a fourth down on the Bear’s 36, Raton elected to go for it, but fumbled after getting the first down. But again the Raton defense kept the Bears in check and Raton received the punt, but was faced with another fourth down attempt, and tried a pass that went incomplete. After the change of possession Devon Chaves went up the middle the very next play for a 36 yard score, but the drop-kick PAT was no good and Raton lead 7 – 6 with 1:56 to go in the first.
It didn’t take long to hear Raton’s answer as Cael Walton scored from long-distance range again as the senior took the ball 65 yards with 1:43 in the first quarter and the King PAT had Raton up 14 – 6.
Another stop by the Raton defense, but Raton’s offense could not gain any rhythm so punted and Raton’s Cooper King pinned the Bears back on their own 2 yard line. A completion from Chavez to Acosta got them out of the shadow of their own goalpost. The Raton defense dug in after that and forced a punt, but Raton muffed the punt and Estancia recovered.
Estancia though would turn the ball over right back to the Tigers as Colt Ayon would alertly haul in a ricochet interception and then Luciano Castillo breaks tackles on a screen pass from Braylon Walton for a 33 yard score and with a PAT no good, Raton lead 20 – 6.
Devon Chavez then counter-punched and showed his speed scoring on a 63 yard burst, but the PAT failed and it was 20- 12 with 5:29 left in the half.
Raton responded with a drive culminated with a 49 yard bomb from Walton to Gage Alford and with the PAT it was 27 – 12 with under 2 minutes left in the half.
Estancia began on their own 34 yard line and then Chavez would jet 65 yards and with the Joshua Villafuerte 2 point PAT the score would be 27 – 20 with less than a minute left until half time. Raton would get close to scoring with a trick play giving them a first and goal, but couldn’t get it in as Walton was sacked as time expired.
The second half would start the momentum swinging the Bears way quickly from the start as Chavez again scampered 65 yards on the first play of the third period, and with the 2 point PAT reception, Estancia had their first lead 28 – 27.
On Raton’s next possession they again converted on a fourth and short and had a first and ten on the Estancia 40, but a fumble caused by Russell Acosta gave Estancia the ball. Raton escaped a 52 yard TD run that was called back on a holding penalty, and then the defense showed why they were the #1 rated run defense by turning back the Bears on a 4th and 2 from the Raton 5. Raton’s Cael Walton gave Raton some room with a 15 yard run and then on a 3rd and 20, Braylon Walton lofted a perfect ball to Cael Walton who motored 80 yards to give Raton the lead back at 33 – 28 with 5:45 left in the third. The 2 point PAT was unsuccessful.
Devon Chavez used his arm in their next possession to put Estancia back in the lead with a 37 yard TD toss to #11 Michael Murray and the missed PAT left the Bears with a narrow 34 – 33 advantage with 3:42 left in the third.
Estancia intercepted Raton on a 3rd and 21 attempt and took over on their own 47 yard line. Looking to add to their advantage, they then began a long march to end the third and start the fourth quarter. On the tenth play of the drive, Raton’s Gage Alford knocks down a fourth down pass on the Raton 10 yard line, to swing the pendulum back the Tigers way Receptions by King, Alford and a 60 yard reception by Cael Walton got Raton to the Bear’s 8 yard line. Then on a third and goal from the 5, Walton finished the job with a run, but the 2 point PAT pass attempt was knocked away and Raton had a 39 – 34 lead with 4:57 left.
Estancia began their next drive on their 32 yard line, and Chavez flipped the field with a 40 yard run to the Raton 32. With just over 2 minutes left in the game, Estancia got inside the Raton 10 yard line and the Raton defense made it another fourth down showdown with :40 seconds left. Estancia had been turned back twice before an fourth down inside the Raton 10, so instead of power, they went with trickery and a halfback option pass and lead by a 40 -39 score after the 2 point PAT fails.
With only :31 seconds left, Raton gave it one more effort as Walton ran the kick back to the 44 and then Luciano Castillo took a Braylon Walton toss to the 34 yard line, but two incompletions, the last into the end-zone ended one of the best games played all-time.
Estancia’s record improves to 4 – 1, while Raton’s record stands at 2 and 3 and next plays at home for 2026 homecoming against Laguna Acoma on September 25th.
Be First to Comment