by Marty Mayfield

The Tigercats Dance Team prepare to raise ole glory before the game. The RHS band provides the music to the Star Spangled Banner

Tiger's second half effort falls short

By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media

    When the final buzzer sounded there was 99 points on the score board and more yardage in one play than you can count on your fingers and toes, Friday night as Raton hosted Clayton in the jungle.
    Clayton's first series, while it ended with a fumble after two plays, was in no way an indication of how the rest of the game went. Raton took the fumble 66 yards in eight plays. Seth Parker plowed over the goal line from two yards out for six. A high snap blew the PAT and it was 6-0 with 9:00 minutes on the clock.
    Clayton countered with 52 yard 6 play drive that ended with a 33 yard romp by Alberto Salgado followed with a 2-point conversion by Nick Wiseman for the lead at 8-6.
    Raton took the next series 65 yards with the help of two 15-yard penalties to the three. From there Jordan Mendez forced it in for six more and the 2-point conversion failed leaving the score 12-8 with 4:25 in the first.
    From there own 45 Coby Bagwell put it up to Salgado, who was clobbered by Nick Cimino and charged with pass interference but that penalty was offset with a holding call in the Yellowjacket back field to call the play back. Then Nick Wiseman took it 33 yards. Clayton ended the drive with Bagwell tunneling through from the one for six. The 2-point was good, it was now 16-12 Clayton with 2:36 still left in the first.
    Three and outs for both teams finished the quarter and they started the second quarter just like the first with Clayton taking a 4-play 70 yard series for six. The scoring play was a 50-yard run by Wiseman who simply broke the line and was gone with no one even close as he crossed the goal line. The 2-point conversion made it 24-12 Clayton.
    It didn't stop there as Clayton broke the punt return for 49 yards to the Raton one. The 2-point was good but an unsportsman like penalty was called after the play and accessed on the kickoff that went out of bounds and added five more to the kickoff, Clayton then kicked off from the 20.
    Caleb Wood returned the kickoff to the 47 where Raton went 28 yards on a pass to Mark Hightree and another pass play for 20. Raton finished the drive with a Toby Henson run from the 12 for six. It was now 20-32 with 6:49 on the clock.
    Another on side kick attempt left Clayton the ball on their 41. They ended this drive with a 14 yard pass play to Koy Geary and Wiseman added the 2-points for a 40-20 score.
    Clayton recovered the kickoff when the ball fell just right on Tyler Vertovec's foot and took a flying leap about 15 yards up field giving Clayton the ball at the Raton 30. The Raton defense dug in and held fast turning the ball over on downs. Geary then picked off a Henson pass and two plays later ended the half.
    Raton started the second half off with a 40 yard pass play to Hightree from the Raton 30 and followed it up with a 30 yard run by Toby Henson for six more. It was now a 27-40 game.
    It was back and forth from there until Wiseman picked off another Henson pass that went 36 yards for six. The 2-point failed and it was a 46-27 game with 1:25 left in the third quarter.
    Caleb Wood picked off a Bagwell pass to move the game into the fourth quarter where Raton, in short order, added six more on a 49 yard pass play to Hightree. Henson split the uprights, 34-46 and it still wasn't over.
    Raton struck again with a on-side kick that Moss Saccomanno recovered on the Clayton 48. This time it was Tyler Vertovec who took a Henson pass for a 47 yard play for six more points. Koy Geary got the height to block Henson's PAT to leave the score 40-46 with 7:49 to play.
    A holding call pushed Clayton back to their 23 but three plays later it was Wiseman again who took it 69 yards for six. The 2-point failed and left it 52-40.
    Its still not over as Raton puts together a drive that used them all. It ended when Mark Hightree squirted for a four yard run to pay dirt. The PAT was good and true and it was 47-52 with 2:39 on the clock.
    Clayton went into clock management mode and ended the game on a knee.
    Coach Brock Walton told his team that the second half of that game was one fantastic piece of work. With two starters out, Seth Parker and Jordan Mendez, the younger players had to step up and make good and good they did as Dakota Martinez filled in at the running back spot, while others made the big plays on special teams.
    Walton was very pleased with the way the team came together and played the second half out scoring Clayton and showing how well they can play. The mistakes that had plagued Raton were greatly reduced in this game.
    Raton will travel to Pojoaque on Friday for the first ever night game under the lights in Pojoaque which will also be their homecoming game as well.

Upside down we go as Alberto Salgado gets upended by the Raton Tiger defense Friday night in the jngle

On the kickoff return Mark Hightree is flying down the field when

He meets Dakota Montoya a big 6' 5" 265 pound junior. Hightree was shaken on the play but returned to make a big difference in the game with long yardage plays and a TD to his credit after being out two weeks with a concussion

Bam Goes Nick Cimino who breaks up this pass play but gets called with pass interference however a lucky break as Clayton gets called for a hold. They replay the down.