Rattlers fall, Logan and San Jon host blowout openers

link The Vaughn Eagles’ Esequiel Lucero prepares to be grounded by the Grady-San Jon Coyotes’ Adrian Lunsford. The Eagles’ Larance Salazar (34) looks on, while the Coyotes’ Nico Sanchez moves in to help with the tackle.

Thomas Garcia

QCS Senior Writer

Tucumcari, Logan and San Jon high school football teams will all be on the road in the second week of the fall high school football season.

The Longhorns and Coyotes won with blowouts at home, and the Rattlers lost a close one on the road to start off the fall season.

The (0-1) Rattlers will be on the road again Friday to face the (0-1) Texico Wolverines.

The Rattlers are coming of a 34-28 loss to the Escalante Lobos Friday night near Santa Fe.

An interception and touch down return in the final six minutes of the game gave the Lobos the lead in a contest the Rattlers had led 16-14 at the half.

The interception was one of two turnovers that resulted in points for the Lobos, the first a fumble in the third quarter that resulted in a score and the change of lead that Escalante would hold for the rest of the game.

Ferguson said the Rattlers will work on ball control to limit turnovers as they prepare for the Wolverines.

The Wolverines lost their home opener 25-12 to the Santa Rosa Lions.

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday at Texico

8-man

The Longhorns will travel Friday to Roswell to face the defending 8-Man state champion Warriors.

“They are a very skilled team that has been a force to overcome in 8-Man,” said Kene Terry, Longhorns head coach.

Terry said the key is to make stops on defense against a Warriors offense that has many weapons at its disposal. Against a team like the Warriors, Terry said, opponents cannot afford to help them with turnovers.

The Longhorns did a good job of ball control against the Tatum Coyotes on Aug. 29 turning the ball over only twice, although in the 54-16 win the Longhorns did have several fourth-and-long situations that Terry said he’d like to avoid in the future.

“We had some drops and missed opportunities that set up those long downs,” Terry said. “We want to keep marching down the field controlling the tempo and keeping the other team’s defense on the field.”

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday at Roswell

6-man

The (1-0) Grady-San Jon Coyotes will travel Friday to play against the (1-0) Eagles at Hondo.

Both of the teams are coming off blowout wins in week one—the Coyotes 53-7 against Vaughn and the Eagles 68-13 over Roy/Wagon Mound.

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday at Hondo.