Longhorns and Coyotes win, Rattlers still seeking first ‘W

link The Tucumcari Rattlers tackle Bears Cesar Quintana short of a first down during Friday night’s game at Rattler Stadium. The Rattlers were overpowered by the running combination of Quintana and Caleb Ortiz in the 41-0 loss to the Bears.

CMI Staff

The (0-3) Tucumcari Rattlers’ 41-0 loss to the potent and aggressive offense of the (2-0) Estancia Bears Friday night at Tucumcari.

“We need to play with heart, play the whole game through and not buckle in the face of adversity,” said Wayne Ferguson, Rattlers head coach.

Ferguson said Friday night’s loss was a tough on the team, and even though the Rattlers knew the Bears were a talented team, they were stunned by the Bears’ aggressive play.

The Rattlers struggled with turnovers during the game giving up six of eight to the Bears who scored 21 points after recovering loose balls.

“The offensive line really showed up for us tonight,” said Stewart Burnett, Bears head coach.

Burnett said he had been hard on the offensive line from their performance during the Bears’ 48-14 win over Navajo Prep on Sept. 5 and pressed them to raise their level of play.

The Bears offensive running attack churned up 424 yards against the Rattlers. A majority of those yards came from senior Cesar Quintana and junior Caleb Ortiz. Quintana had 15 carries for 183 yards and two touch downs and Ortiz had 17 carries for 119 yards and three touchdowns.

“Their runners were very powerful and physical,” Ferguson said. “We knew they had a talented backfield and it was going to be a challenge to contain them.”

The Bears’ aggressive style of play won the contest, but it also resulted in penalties that hurt their total yardage. They chalked up 12 penalties for 134 yards during Friday night’s game.

“They team did exactly as we asked, they played physical and in doing so they may have gotten a little over-zealous at times and drew the penalties,” Burnett said.

8-man

The Logan Longhorns improved to (3-0) with a 77-37 win over the (1-2) Dora Coyotes Friday night at Dora.

“It was a lot closer game then the score reflected,” said Kene Terry, Longhorns head coach.

Terry said the Coyotes showed a lot of heart during Friday night’s contest.

“They played a good game tonight,” Terry said of the Coyotes. “There were some times where we struggled moving the ball and they didn’t quit. Every time we started to get some space (in the score), they came right back and scored.”

The Longhorns’ strong running game gave them a quick 14-0 lead on two big runs by quarterback Wyatt Strand, who finished with five rushing touchdowns and two passing TDs.

His first score came on the second play of the game as he faked a handoff and charged up the middle untouched on a 49-yard run. After Dora went three-and-out, Strand hit paydirt again with a 33-yard run on just his second carry of the night.

The Coyotes scored on their next possession with an 11-yard run by Dylan Roberts, but came up empty on the 2-point conversion try.

Strand scored again on 43-yard run. Then, after Arzate threw an interception, Strand used a 26-yard scramble to set up a fade pass into the end zone to Wesley Gudgell to make it 28-6 midway through the first quarter.

“We didn’t execute very well tonight,” Dora coach Mason McBee said. “We had them game-planned well and we knew who their best player was, but we didn’t execute our defense very well.”

The Coyotes’ Dylan Roberts capped a five-play drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, but Dora failed on another 2PAT try. The Longhorns scored twice more before the end of the first quarter to take a 42-12 lead.

“When we scored, we executed well and we were able to move the ball,” McBee said. “We just have to be more consistent at that as the season moves forward.”

Early in the third period, the Coyotes mounted an eight-play drive, all on the ground, capped by a 40-yard scamper from Arzate. In the fourth quarter, he showed off his arm by throwing a 46-yard touchdown pass to receiver Zack Dewbre.

Arzate had 17 rushes for 242 yards and threw for another 65 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

6-Man

The Grady-San Jon Coyotes swept the New Mexico School of the Deaf’s Roadrunners in a 50-6 contest Friday at San Jon that ended with a forfeit at half-time.

Coyote coach Bobby Gomez said the Roadrunners were hampered by youth and injuries before Friday’s game.

“We were able to run the ball,” Gomez said.

Two more injuries to Roadrunners during Friday’s game resulted in the forfeit at the half, Gomez said.

The Coyotes are now 2-1 for the season.