Coyotes begin state play, Rattlers and Longhorns in district mix

link Tucumcari Rattler’s running back Saul Moriel forces his way through the Lions defenders for his second touchdown during Friday night’s district game in Santa Rosa. The Rattlers lost 52-22.

QCS Senior Writer

The fourth-seed San Jon/Grady Coyotes (5-3) (1-2) will host the fifth-seed Animas Panthers (6-2) (3-1) Saturday at San Jon in the first quarterfinals game in the 6-man football state tournament.

The Coyotes are coming off two hard road losses, a 57-6 defeat to Lake Arthur on Oct. 17 and 51-0 loss to Floyd on Friday.

The last two weeks were two of the hardest games the Coyotes have had to play, Coyotes head coach Bobby Gomez said.

“We had opportunities to score in both games but we did not capitalize on those opportunities,” he said. “The boys just need to settle down and focus on executing the offense we have been all season up to this point. On defense, we need to step up on and execute the fundamentals, like wrapping up when we tackle.”

The opportunities are there for the Coyotes, Gomez said. They just need to play solid football. He said the Coyotes are capable of playing the Panthers and are better than the scores from the last two weeks reflect.

The Tucumcari Rattlers (0-8) (0-1) travel to Raton Friday for their second district football game against the Tigers (1-7) (0-1).

The Rattlers will need to play aggressively from the very start against the Tigers, said Wayne Ferguson, Rattler’s head coach.

The Rattlers are coming off a 52-22 district loss to the Lions (3-5) (1-0) at Santa Rosa.

The Rattlers were trailing the Lions 22-14 at half-time, having overcome a turnover which led to points for the Lions early in the second quarter.

The Rattlers’ two first-half scores were one-yard and nine-yard rushes from senior Saul Moriel.

“We just need to continue to work hard and do as our coaches ask of us,” Moriel said after the game.

At the start of the third quarter the Lions came out and drove 80 yards, capping their drive with an 11-yard passing touchdown from Dante Torello to Nathan Sanchez, which put them up by two scores.

On the Rattlers ensuing drive, the Lions recovered a fumbled pass, which they converted into six points with a 12-yard rush by running back Steve Tenorio.

“Turnovers put us in a situation where we could not simply rely on the running game which had worked for us earlier in the game,” coach Ferguson said.

Now trailing by three scores, the Rattlers went to their passing game in an attempt to stay in the game.

However, an errant pass from Rattlers quarterback Tyler Ferguson intended for D’Ontee Sandoval was intercepted at the 40-yard line setting up the Lions for their fourth touchdown and the second rushing touchdown for Tenorio. Earlier in the game, Sandoval had held on to a 60-yard pass for the Rattlers.

The Rattlers responded with a scoring drive of their own with a 46-yard pass from quarterback Ferguson to Sandoval at the two yard line. That lead to a two-yard rushing touchdown by sophomore Billy Sandoval. 

Coach Ferguson said the Rattlers did not give up. Even playing from behind, he said, they continued to fight to stay in the game, even after the Lions would once again answer a long scoring drive by the Rattlers with a quick drive of their own to seal the game.

The Lions’ Tenorio broke through three tackles and rushed 61-yard for the final score of the game. Tenorio rushed for 221 yards and had three touchdowns for the Lions.

“I am proud of how our team played,” Moriel said “We didn’t give up we kept fighting and that is exactly what we have to do against Raton.”

Coach Ferguson said the Rattlers will have to work on eliminating turnovers that put them behind, forcing them to take chances on offense to stay in the game.

He said the heart the Rattlers showed by playing hard throughout the Santa Rosa game is exactly the kind they need to have for their district run.

Next game: 7 p.m. Friday at Raton.

The Logan Longhorns (9-0) (3-0) will play for the 8-man District 2 championship Friday against the Foothill Falcons (8-1) (3-0) at Logan.

“I’ve told the guys to prepare for this game the same way we have been preparing for games all season,” said Kene Terry, Longhorn’s head coach.

Terry said the Longhorns have done a great job at focusing on the task at hand and not looking past any opponent or fixating on a possible outcome. He said they have been going into every game with the desire to play their best and earn a win.

However, Terry said that there may be a revenge factor at work in Friday night’s game. It was the Falcons that beat the Longhorns last year in Foothill, ending the Longhorn’s four- year streak of district championships.

“We try not to think about that loss and focus on the now, though we are still a bitter about the loss,” said senior Wyatt Strand, Longhorn’s quarterback.

Strand said he has urged his teammates to prepare for and play this upcoming game the same way they have played each game this year—as a team and playing with heart.

“We are going to come out Friday and play our game,” said Brinton Roach, junior running back.

Though Terry and the Longhorns are treating Friday night’s game the same as any other game they have played, there are state tournament implications in the outcome.

The winners will be District 2 champions and have a better seeding in the state tournament.

For Logan, a win could result in a number-one seed over Magdalena, a team that will also be playing for a district championship on Friday and for that potential first seed.

Terry said that a higher seeding is something the Longhorn’s and he are thinking about and while it would be nice to be first its not something they are going to lose focus over.

“Right now we need to focus on winning, not what will come from that win but just winning,” Strand said.

Game time: 7 p.m., Friday at Logan.