Rattlers fall to Escalante in season opener

QCS Staff

The Tucumcari Rattlers lost their first football game of the season to the Escalante High Lobos in a contest held at Tierra Amarillo, north of Santa Fe. The score was 34-28.

The Rattlers and Lobos traded scores all through the game, but with 5:38 left in the game, the Lobos intercepted a pass and ran it to the end zone to score the game's final touchdown, the last tie-breaker.

The Rattlers led by two points at the half 16-14. With 7:51 left in the third quarter, the Lobos capitalized on a fumble recovery and scored, then boosted it with a two-point conversion, resulting in a 22-16 lead.

The Rattlers followed with a touchdown that followed a string of penalties in their favor. D'Onte Sandoval ran the ball into the end zone from the Lobos' nine yard line to tie the game 22-22.

In the fourth quarter, the Rattlers scored again on another run by Sandoval, making the score 28-22. With 5:48 left in the game, the Lobos answered, tying the game. Ten seconds later by the clock, the Lobos intercepted the pass that clinched the game.

"We made critical mistakes at key times and lost a game we should have won," Rattler Coach Wayne Ferguson said. "We'll be doing more work next week to prepare for Texico."

Quarterback Tyler Ferguson's passing and free safety D'Ontee Sandoval's running skill gave the Lobos trouble all through the game, Ferguson said

The Rattlers' next outing is against the Texico Wolverines at Texico. The game begins at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5.