An entire season can come down to one yard or one extra point and both came into play on Saturday, November 19 as Raton hosted #2 Ruidoso in the NM 3A Semifinals. The Warriors gained the final lead with 3:20 to go and then held the Tigers short on a fourth and one from near midfield to squeak by 21-20 and earn the right to play in the championship game next weekend against St. Mikes.
Raton was hobbled by injuries on the starting line, but that didn’t stop them from springing Cayden Walton for an apparent 90-yard run from their own six-yard line during the first series. Raton, however, was flagged for holding and had to punt from their own 10-yard line. On the return, the ball was muffed and Raton’s Isaac Garcia pounced on it, but Raton again was stymied by the Ruidoso defense for a three-and-out.
Ruidoso was stopped at their own 22 by the Raton defense and then gambled and attempted a fake punt, but Raton’s Matthew Munoz tracked down Logan Sandoval and Raton took over at the Ruidoso 24. Raton would move down to a first and goal at the 6, but a third down tipped pass incompletion brought in Cole Hopper for a 27-yard field goal attempt, which was blocked.
An Artic storm brought snow and frigid temps on Friday, but the game was played under blue skies and temps just above freezing, but the footing remained slippery for everyone including Raton’s Cayden Walton. The #1 All-time rusher in NM High School history, Walton had his #4 jersey torn off his pads, so he had to finish the rest of the game wearing #18.
The first quarter ended in a scoreless tie, but the only score in the first half would come early in the second period. Raton was called for a chop-block on the first play of the quarter, and then on a first and 20, Raton’s Jacob Mattorano launched a perfect throw to Cannon Walton, and with 11:36 left in the half, Raton did convert the PAT and lead 7-0.
On Ruidoso’s next possession, two bad snaps, including on a fourth down punt gave Raton a first down near midfield. A Walton 18-yard run, a third-down conversion screen to WD Hyer, and Raton was again poised with a first and goal at the Warrior 8. Raton couldn’t push it in and again tried a 30 yard field goal that was no good.
Ruidoso took over on the 20 and was aided by a third-down pass interference penalty, but after 12 plays Raton stopped Dalton Trapp on a fourth and five and then kneeled for the 7 -0 lead at intermission.
Ruidoso took the second-half kickoff on their own 27 and then went 11 plays with the aid of a recovered fumble by and offensive lineman, and a flag on Raton for an illegal hit out of bounds on a third and long. Ruidoso had a first and goal on the 6 with Kaden Sago going in for the score and Dalton Trapp getting the 2 point PAT pass and Ruidoso had their first lead 8-7.
The lead was short-lived though as Mario Alvarez gave Raton good field position on the kick-off and then on the first play in the second half for the Raton offense, Cayden Walton out of the Wild Cat, went right up the middle and didn’t stop until 57 yards later in the Jungle’s North End Zone. Hopper’s PAT put Raton back up 14-8.
On Ruidoso’s next series Raton’s Adrian Romero, who has been hobbled but played injured for the last two games, holds Sago for no gain and then it appeared Raton was going to get the ball back after an incompletion, but a personal foul and an ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct gave Ruidoso a first down at the 50. Raton’s defense however kept Ruidoso from going any deeper into Raton territory and a fourth down pooch kick gave Raton a start on the 25.
Cayden Walton has become a weapon not only running but throwing the ball as he controlled a high snap and lofted it to WD Hyer for a 41-yard completion. But on the next play, a Raton fumble gave possession to the Warriors at the 27. Ruidoso would get a first down but then with time running down in the third period, fumbled back to Raton as Adrian Romero glommed on the loose ball at the Warrior’s 46.
Raton finished the third quarter attemping a screen pass on 4th and nine from the 34 and then Ruidoso would start on their game-tying drive into the fourth quarter with an 11-play effort on the legs of senior Kaden Sago who broke a tackle for a 20-yard gain and then got a 1 yard TD run, but the PAT run with 6’7″ Dalton Trapp is turned back by Anderson Weese, Isaac Garcia and WD Hyer, leaving it a 14 all tie with 8:42 left.
The Warriors tried another trick with a quick kick, but Raton’s lineman Chase Middlebrook showed good hands and gave Raton the ball on the Warrior 45. A 20-yard gain by Walton, was negated again by holding and then Raton tried a bit of trickery itself with a flea-flicker back to Mattorano, but the ball was dropped and left Raton with a 2nd and 19 at the Ruidoso 41. Jacob Mattorano took the snap, dropped back and then cooly lofted a 41-yard TD to WD Hyer. The blocked extra point would prove the difference in the scoring as Raton led 20-14 with 7:30 left in the game.
Ruidoso had their game-winning drive start at their own 35 and after 11 plays Sago had his third TD run from 5 yards out. The only kicked PAT for Ruidoso off the foot of Cooper Pritchett barely cleared the crossbar and Ruidoso had a 21 -20 lead with just over 3 minutes to go.
Raton would start with good field position at their own 45 and after a swing pass completion to Walton had a second and five at midfield. If you have the leading rusher in the state you put the ball in his hands, but Ruidoso stopped Raton on two straight short yardage downs and then ran out the clock for a berth in the championship game next week.
Raton ends the season with a 9 and 4 record and the second consecutive appearance in the semifinal game for 3A.
Raton will say thank you and goodbye to kicker Cole Hopper, lineman Adrian Romero, D end Zach Lose, lineman Derek Day-Pineda, guard/linebacker Anderson Weese; lineman Brian Cervantes; and RB/CB Cayden Walton.
