Raton Cruises to Victory Over Clayton

The Raton Tigers football team started strong and finished the same way for a 47-8 victory over Clayton in a Friday, October 13th District contest in the Jungle.

On a perfect night for football, it was the first home contest in a month for the Tigers who took the home-field advantage early when Ismael Tafoya recovered a Clayton fumble at the 24 yard line and then Tristan Gallegos went over on a fourth and goal from inside the one to put Raton on top with 8:06 left in the first quarter.

Tafoya would sting the Yellowjackets the next time he touched the ball on a 85 yard punt return for a TD, and with the Dustin Segura point after run for 2, Raton led 14-0 with 3:46 left in the first.  Tafoya ripped another return TD later,  but would have a 60 plus yarder called back on a Raton penalty.

The Tigers offensive machine includes the dual threat QB Dustin Segura.  The senior signal-caller scored the next four touchdowns for the Tigers with runs of 10, 30, 72 and 1 yard.  Segura also kept the chains moving with his accurate throws, and kept an 80 yard, 9 play drive alive with a 15 yard completion to his favorite target Nathaniel Tarbox on a third-and-ten in the third.

Clayton avoided the shutout with a drive in the second half culminating in a 29 yard Zachary Maynes to Caleb Gonzales scoring play to begin the fourth quarter.  Raton would get the continuous clock going again when with 9:47 left in the game Aden Vanderwater, heaved a 67 yard bomb to Ismael Tafoya to make the score 47 – 8.   Brandon Decker’s drive-killing interception added to the earlier one by Richie Acevedo to take the air out of the Yellowjackets in the end zone in the first half.

Raton will stay home for the second consecutive week and will play the Santa Rosa Lions on Friday, October 20 at 7 p.m. The game could be for the regular season district championship as both squads are undefeated in District 3/5 AAA play. The game will be broadcast on KRTN FM 93.9 and streamed on Network1Sports.com.