By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton Tiger football remains undefeated after hosting the Escalante Lobos in a rare Saturday (Sept 18, 2021) night game in which Raton’s offense scored at will and the defense stiffened again for a 49 – 6 victory. The necessity for first-ever Saturday night game was made possible by a referee shortage that forced the game being moved from the normal Friday night to Saturday.
It was up to the Raton defense to keep the 2-1 Lobos out of the end zone early, after a 70-yard romp on the opening kickoff to leave the ball on the Raton 15. A personal foul penalty moved the ball to the 7-yardline. A sack and two incomplete passes turned the ball over to Raton on the 6-yardline. Four plays later Raton’s Cayden Walton streaks 33 yards to pay dirt for six. Cole Hopper adds the PAT for a 7-0 lead at 9:37 on the first quarter clock.
The Raton defense simply dominated the Lobos in the first half of the game forcing the Lobos to many three and out series. Raton added seven more after one of those and a short punt, combined with a couple of penalties moved the ball to the 4-yardline and Cayden Walton punched the line for six and Hopper added the PAT for a 14-0 lead at 7:02 on the clock.
The next Raton score came on a 40 romp in the jungle by Raton’s twisting, squirming Junior running back Cayden Walton. Hopper again added the PAT to make it a 21-0 game at 3:13 in the first quarter.
The Lobos gave Raton the ball on downs at their 46 where a block in the back pushed Raton to the Raton 42. Three plays later it was a Quartieri Twins connection with Matthew receiving a Dylan pass for a 45-yard play for six. Hopper’s PAT was good to give Raton the 28-0 lead at the beginning of the second quarter.
Raton took a Lobo punt to the Escalante 49. Four plays later it was another Quartieri connection for six with 15-yard pass play from Dylan Quartieri to Matthew Quartieri as Dylan lofted a perfect touch pass over two defenders for six. Hopper once again hit the PAT for a 35-0 lead.
The next Lobo series ended when Cayden Walton picked off a Isaac Archuleta pass giving Raton the ball at the Lobo 46. Three plays later Raton is on the 10-yardline and Dylan Quartieri tosses a screen pass to Ahsan Maso for six more. Raton then added a 2-pointer with a quick pass to Chance Middlebrook to make it 43-0. An Escalante fumble gave Raton the ball on the Lobo 10-yardline where Raton took a knee to end the first half of play.
Raton took the third quarter kickoff to Raton 35. Three plays later, freshman Cannon Walton takes a quarterback keeper 67 yards for Raton’s final six of the game. Brandon Robertson’s PAT goes wide leaving the score 49-0 with 10:01 on the now running mercy clock.
Playing against the second team defense, Escalante takes the ball from their 15-yardline to Raton 40 with the help of a couple of penalties where quarterback Isaac Archuleta then scrambles the 40 yards for six. The 2-point conversion fails, leaving it a 49-6 game at 3:54 in the third quarter.
The Tigers second-team offense took the ball and moved it down inside the red zone where Cole Hopper tried a 33 yard field goal that carried wide left. From this point in the game, the running clock made quick time of it and ended the game with a 49-6 win for Raton and a 5-0 record on the season. The win also gives Raton a 1st place ranking in District 2-3A.
Raton will host the 3-1 Clayton Yellowjackets for Homecoming this Friday, September 24. Clayton also holds a 1st place seating in District 6-2A. The game will be on 93.9 FM and video streamed on the KRTN Facebook page.
