By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The 3-4 Raton football travelled to Santa Rosa Friday October 16, 2026, for their first district game of the season against the 4-3 Lions.
Last week Raton lost their star running back Cael Walton with a shoulder injury, a loss that will be missed however Colt Ayon, Luciano Castillo, Harlem Coley and Gage Alford will have to come together and fill in for that loss. It could also change the complexion of the Raton running game that they are so used too.
Raton gets the opening kickoff and moves down the field and unable to get the ball in the end zone they are forced to punt the ball away to Santa Rosa for their first series of the game. A holding penalty puts Santa Rosa back at their six. A great run takes the ball out to the 30. Santa Rosa moves down the field with Raton getting a roughing penalty and adds another 15 yards to the play. Inside the redzone the Lions stay on the ground. A tough Raton defense holds but a personal foul penalty moves the ball closer to the goal line and give the Lions a 3rd and five at the Raton six-yard line. Elias Munoz goes wide and takes it in for Lion six. The PAT is good for a 7-0 score at 2:07 left in the first.
Raton takes the kickoff to the Raton 33-yard line. Raton takes the ball into the second quarter at the Raton 44. A personal foul on Raton moves the ball back to the Raton 29. That is 45 yards in penalties just in the first quarter. This time it was offsetting penalties and leaves Raton with a 3rd down and on the Walton pass its intercepted by the Lions and moves the ball to the Raton 36.
Santa Rosa gets an illegal substitution penalty and moves the ball back to the 41. Santa Rosa finally gets to move the ball down the field but turn it over on downs at the Raton 33. Raton fumbles the ball and Santa Rosa recovers at the Raton 46-yard line as a flag comes out of the pocket. The Lions put it in the air to Marcus Velasquez and move inside the red zone. Again, the Raton Defense comes to the rescue and holds the Lions to a turnover on downs at the Raton 20.
More yellow laundry comes in on Raton’s first play with a holding on the Tigers and facemask on the Lions for offsetting penalties. Raton manages to move it down the field. The Braylon Walton pass goes to Colt Ayon and he goes in for six from the Raton 33. Another yellow hanky brings a personnel foul penalty on Raton and brings it back, no score. Raton then goes at it again and moves the ball down the field in big chunks. Another holding penalty comes in against Raton. Walton keeps the ball and then fumbles the ball, and another flag hits the ground. Santa Rosa recovers at the 46 the penalty moves the ball back 15 yards for an unsportsman like penalty.
Santa Rosa goes to the air to Munoz for six and yet another flag comes in and negates the 58-yard TD. The ball ends up at the Santa Rosa 23-yard line. A fake punt gets the Lions a first however another flag comes in and gives Santa Rosa a 4th and 19. Raton gets the punt at the 45. Colt Ayon takes the ball inside the 15 but there is more yellow laundry which brings ball back on a holding call. Walton puts it in the air and Lachian Ross picks off the ball at the Santa Rosa five. That is the fourth turnover in the first half. Another holding penalty on the Lions takes the ball back to the 20. Santa Rosa fumbles and Raton recovers the ball at the Santa Rosa four with 25 seconds left in the half.
Raton at the 2 ½ with 21 seconds in the second quarter Walton on a third down passes to Colt Ayon for six. Then another flag comes out, the TD is good with a personal foul on Santa Rosa. The PAT is good leaving it a tie game at seven with seconds left on the clock. The KO goes to the 20 and Santa Rosa takes into halftime with a knee. The yellow hanky flew for 13 different penalties in the first half.
Third quarter action began with Santa Rosa taking the kickoff out to their 41. Another flag indicates a hold on Santa Rosa; the pass gets it into the Tiger 45. Santa Rosa pounds the ball down the field and gets into the red zone to the seven. Marcos Velasquez goes in from the five for another Lion six. The Oliver Nanez PAT is no good for a 13-7 ball game.
Raton takes the ball to the 35 to begin their next series of plays. On the third play a Walton pass gets picked off and gives the Lions the ball on the 44. Santa Rosa pounds the ball down the field to the 35 and an offside penalty moves the ball back to the Raton 40. With a 4th and long Santa Rosa puts up an incomplete pass and turns it over on downs at the 40. Raton takes the ball into the fourth quarter at the 49.
Raton uses their weapons and moves the ball down the field at the 25 Walton puts it up to Luciano Castillo for six. The PAT goes through the uprights and gives Raton the lead 14-13 at 9:50 on the 4th quarter clock.
Santa Rosa gets the ball at their 35. The Lions move the ball down the field on the ground against a tough Raton defense. A holding penalty on the Lions moves the ball back to the 44 for a 1st and 20. The Lions face a 4th and 14 and went for it and didn’t quite make the first down by a football giving Raton the ball on downs at the Raton 25.
Raton goes into clock management mode, and Santa Rosa loads up the center to hold the Raton running game at bay. Raton gets a pass and long run to get into Lion territory at the 45. Santa Rosa uses up their timeouts and gives Raton 1:34 on the clock. Now 50 seconds left and a Raton timeout. On the play a holding penalty leaves Raton a 4th and four with 45 seconds left. Walton puts a pass up to Luciano Castillo from 29 yards out for a 20-13. Cooper King misses the PAT and leaves it 20-13 with 40 seconds left. The Lions get the ball to the 50-yard line. Ross puts the ball in the air its caught and Castillo knocks it loose and Warren Berry recovers at the 30. Raton takes a knee to end it for the win.
Raton will host the McCurdy Bobcats next Friday night in the Jungle at 7:00 p.m.
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