Clovis’ Stefan Mills evades Sandia’s Eric Stoltenberg’s tackle during Friday’s game at Leon Williams Stadium. Clovis defeated the Sandia Matadors 31-7 in the New Mexico Class 5A state football quarterfinals.

Clovis senior quarterback Josh Potocki passes during Friday’s game at Leon Williams Stadium. Clovis defeated the Sandia Matadors 31-7 in the New Mexico Class 5A state football quarterfinals.

The Clovis Wildcats wanted a rematch, and a rematch they’ll receive.

It’s been two-and-a-half months since Eldorado knocked off Clovis 22-21 in overtime. The Class 5A playoffs offered the Wildcats a chance at redemption, assuming both teams won their quarterfinal contests.

Third-seeded Clovis (10-1) held up its part with a 31-7 win over Sandia Friday night, and the No. 2 Eagles held up theirs with a 34-0 win over Rio Rancho Saturday.

The teams meet again at Wilson Stadium in a 1 p.m. Saturday semifinal.

Even before the Eagles snapped the ball against Rio Rancho, senior linebacker Lane Ward was ready for the challenge.

“Finally, we’re playing a running team, not a spread team,” Ward said. “We’ll have to go down there and be a lot more physical.”

Give(away) and take(away) relationship
A 17-point second half is usually an indication of offensive dominance, but that wasn’t the case as the Wildcat offense didn’t reach the end zone for the final 35:48 and turned the ball over four times.

Following senior Stefan Mills’ 7-yard run early in the second quarter, here are the remaining Wildcat drives: Punt, interception, halftime, field goal, fumble, punt, fumble, turnover on downs, fumble.

Clovis assistant Darren Kelley was pretty forgiving of the turnovers, given many of them happened with a 24-point lead and 30-degree weather.
“At the same time, we can’t keep turning the ball over late,” he said.

But the defense held strong, with a 13-yard interception return by Emery Sierra, a 67-yard fumble return by Josh Bryan to go with Andrew North’s 25-yard field goal. Bryan also intercepted a Tanner Ireland pass for his 10th interception of the season, a Clovis single-season record.

Best offensive series
Easily its first. Placed on its own 15 via a 42-yard punt, the Wildcats converted twice on third down with Josh Potocki completions to Blake Wiley and Richie Chavez, and a 43-yard playaction bomb to Mills in the 9-play march.

Worst offensive series
Clovis had just one three-and-out. Mills got a 3-yard run on first down, but he and quarterback Kyler Brewer had incomplete passes on the next two plays before North’s 28-yard punt.

Best defensive series
Plenty to pick from, but the best comes on Sandia’s second second-quarter drive. Running back James Morehead was stopped twice for a loss of one, and the third-down pass was overthrown. The Matadors’ only saving grace was an extremely friendly bounce for a 59-yard punt.
Close seconds are a fourth-quarter three-and-out with a sack by Michael Prestage and a hold on a 4th-and-1 midway through the third.

Worst defensive series
It was short and sweet for the Matadors, as Ireland found Taylor Buckhanan down the left sideline. Buckhanan won a battle for the ball with Clovis corner Jordan Jacobs and took the play 71 yards. It was quite a feat, considering Sandia compiled just 55 yards in the first 33 minutes.