By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The Raton Tigers, despite the yellow hanky, five in the first four minutes of play, held the Tularosa Wildcats scoreless in the first half of play to advance in the football state playoffs and will travel to Gallup next Saturday to take on the Hozho Academy Wolves for the second round of state playoffs.
Tularosa took the opening kickoff and one play later the first yellow flag hit the turf followed by three more before the Wildcats turned the ball over to Raton. Tiger Luciano Castillo added 24 yards followed by a 35 yard sprint by Cael Walton for six with 7:36 on the first quarter clock. Logan Elliott added the PAT and it was a 7-0 score.
Tularosa kept the ball for 14 plays on their next series but finally turned the ball over on downs to Raton on the Raton 15. Five plays later and 13 seconds off the second period clock Walton once again crossed the goal line after a 72 yard race to pay dirt. Elliott split the uprights for a 14-0 score.
Tularosa after six plays turns the ball over and three plays later Raton fumbles the ball then five plays later Elijah Kenney intercepts a Kade Lockner pass to give Raton the ball at the Raton 29. Luciano Castillo takes the ball 55 yards to the Wildcat 35. Five plays later Cael Walton crosses the goal line once again for six. Elliott misses the PAT for a 20-0 score.
Tularosa goes into a hurry up offense and 13 plays later unable to beat the Raton defense hands the ball over to Raton to finish out the half.
Raton takes the second half kickoff at the Raton 40. Cael Walton breaks through the line and sprints the 60 yards for another Raton score with only 10 seconds off the third quarter clock. Elliott adds another PAT for a 27-0 score.
Tularosa dug in and crawled down the field 14 plays Kade Lockner puts up a 19 yard pass play to Brooks Montoya for a trip to pay dirt and a 27-6 score after a failed PAT. On the ground Harlem Coley scrambled 14 yards and six. Elliott adds the PAT for a 33-6 score.
Luciano Castillo picks off a Kade Lockner pass and goes 30 yards for a pick six. Elliott adds the PAT and makes it a 40-6 score with 3:35 on the third quarter clock. A four and out returns the ball to Raton and four plays later Raton’s Luciano Castillo goes 15 yards to pay dirt for six. Elliott’s PAT makes it a 47-6 game with 1:23 left on the third quarter clock.
Tularosa fumbles just inside the fourth quarter and Raton’s Cael Walton scrambles 30 yards for another Raton six. Elliott adds the PAT and its a 54-6 score at 11:24 on the fourth quarter running clock.
It took 10 plays for Tularosa to move the ball 69 yards to finish the drive with a Lockner pass to Brock King-Morgan for six. The extra point failed leaving only 3:11 left on the running fourth quarter clock. Raton took a couple of plays and a knee to finish off the game and move on to Gallup for the 1:00 o’clock game at DiPaola Stadium.
