Longhorns defeat the Melrose Buffaloes 47-38 Friday night at Logan

link QCS Photo: Thomas Garcia

The Buffaloes' offensive linemen double team Longhorn's defensive end Trey Daniels in a crucial fourth and 22 during Friday night's game between Logan and Melrose. The Buffaloes would not convert on the fourth and long and the Longhorns won 47-38 at Logan.

Thomas Garcia

QCS Senior Writer

8-man

It was a showdown to the last minute to decide the winner of Friday night’s football game between Logan Longhorns and the Melrose Buffaloes.

The Longhorns 47-38 win over the Buffaloes was much closer than it looked, due to five turnovers towards the end of game.

With six minutes left in the final quarter, the Buffaloes began a march that drove the ball to the Longhorns two-yard line and chewed up three minutes on the clock.

The Longhorns defense dug in their heels and forced the Buffaloes into a fourth-and-goal situation with the game on the line.

Attempting a drive right down the center of the Longhorns goal-line defense, the Buffaloes came up short, turning the ball over and giving the Longhorns a chance for a comeback from their own end zone.

The first three plays for the Longhorns gave them only three additional yards of breathing room to the five-yard line. Longhorns head coach Kene Terry elected to go for the first down on the fourth down knowing a failed conversion would set Melrose up for the win.

“I trusted in our boys to get the conversion,” Terry said. “but they were just as excited and surprised by the outcome as everyone else was.”

Longhorns quarterback Wyatt Strand took the snap deep in the end zone and scanned for receivers until he spotted Larramy Roberts one-on-one with a Buffaloes’ defender. Strand pump- faked and forced the defender to lose a step, then released the ball, connecting with Roberts at the 17-yard line. Roberts, escorted by Wesley Gudgell, rumbled down the field the additional 83 yards for the touchdown and the 39-38 lead (extra point missed) with just over two minutes left to play.

“We got the play from coach, and in the huddle we decided that we could do this and make the conversion on fourth down,” Strand said.

“Once I caught the ball I ran like I was on fire,” Roberts said.

On the Buffaloes’ first play following the Longhorns touchdown, the Longhorns defense sacked Cade Barnard for a 20-yard loss. The Buffaloes failed to convert on a fourth-and-20 and gave the ball back to the Longhorns with just over a minute to play. On the second play, Strand ran in a touchdown from 22 yards out, his second rushing touchdown of the game. The first was an 80- yard rush in the first quarter.

The Longhorns now faced the choice of kicking the extra point, setting up a tie for Melrose, or going for the two-point conversion and the win. Strand kept the ball and converted for two-points for the 47-38 win.

“We felt it was the best thing for them to score so quickly and take the chance at the two point conversion,” said Dickie Roybal, Buffaloes head coach.

Roybal said if the Buffaloes had kept Longhorns from completing the two point conversion, he felt his Buffaloes offense could have won on their next drive.

“I am confident in saying we have two of the best teams in the state,” Roybal said. “I told my guys not to get discouraged by this loss but learn from it, because I have a feeling we will see the Longhorns again.”

The turnaround for the Buffaloes began in the final minutes of the third quarter on a fourth-and-12. With 2:30 left, Buffaloes quarterback Cade Barnard connected with wide receiver Braden Hemminger for 68-yards, setting up a first and goal from the Longhorns seven yard line.

On the following series, poised to break the Longhorns 33-30 lead, Barnard rolled out to his left and was looking for wide receiver Wyatt Williams, whom he had connected with twice earlier in the game for passing touchdowns. The pass was intercepted in the end zone by Longhorns defensive back Michael Estrada for a touchback, giving Logan the ball on the Longhorns’ 20 yard line.

“I heard my team mates scream out, ‘Ball,’” Estrada said. “I turned my head and scanned the sky, saw the ball and moved in for the catch.”

Estrada said the same receiver had beaten him to the ball on an earlier play for a crucial first down, and he was not going to let that happen again.

However Longhorns quarterback Strand would be intercepted by Buffaloes middle linebacker Boone Roberts on the second play of the offensive series. Roberts returned the ball 32 yards for the score and giving the Buffaloes a 38-33 lead.

The Longhorns managed to overcome another interception on the following series at the start of the final quarter, forcing the Buffaloes to punt. In the Longhorns’ next series, a bad snap and quick penetration by Melrose’s defensive line led to a Buffaloes fumble recovery to begin their last offensive drive.

Following the game Strand said, “We are brothers and we want to build a legacy for the town of Logan in football. We have always been known as a basketball town. Well, we want people to know and respect our football program as well.”

11-man

The (0-4) Tucumcari Rattlers continue to search for their first win but had some positive notes on defense during Friday night’s 30-6 loss to the Demons at Dexter.

“The defense began to play a lot better, keeping the Demons off the score board in the final period,” said Wayne Ferguson, Rattlers head coach.

Ferguson said all of the Demons’ scoring in the first half came off of long plays when Rattler defenders missed an assignment or failed to wrap up with the tackle. He said once the defense started focusing on assignments and following through on tackles in the second half, they began to hold the Demons on their drives.

“We had some defensive stands were we managed to get some penetration and keep them from extending their drives,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson said the Rattler offense did struggle after starting center H.D. McClure went down with a knee injury in the first quarter. He said during half-time the Rattlers had to work with the replacement center on hiking the ball out of the shotgun formation.

Ferguson said near the end of the game the Rattlers were able to move the ball to the Demon’s 15-yard line but lost the scoring opportunity when quarterback Tyler Ferguson lost grip of the wet ball for the games only turnover.

“The field was a muddy mess, it had rained the whole week before the game,” Ferguson said. “Tyler had both hands on the ball it just popped out not much you can do against that in those kind of conditions.”

6-man

The (3-1) Grady/San Jon Coyotes defeated the (1-3) Reserve Mountaineers 30-26 Friday afternoon at Carrizozo.

Coach Bobby Gomez was not available for comment on the win.