by Marty Mayfield

Tough season continues for Tigers

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

Friday night the Jungle came alive as the Raton High marching band performed for pre-game activities and the Tigers warmed up for another tough game on the field.

Raton took the opening kickoff and started off with a penalty, a mental mistake, that Coach Walton feels are fixable. But as the night wore on the mistakes continued, as did a number of turnovers. Four plays later Portales took the ball with the help of a 15-yard personal foul penalty against Raton and marched down the field. It took Portales 8-plays to go the 58 yards finishing the drive with an 11-yard romp by Osbaldo Naverette for six. The PAT was good and it was 7-0 Portales with 7:29 still on the clock.

Raton’s next series ended on a fumble that resulted in six more Portales points as J P Sullivan scrambled 65 yards for six. The PAT was good and it was 14-0.

With the ball again, Raton moved up the field but was forced to punt the ball away. The Raton defense held strong holding Portales to three and out but a fumble on the punt return gave Portales the ball on the Raton 33.

Four plays into the second quarter the Rams were again in the end zone.
The PAT fell wide and it was 20-0. Another three and out for Raton gave Portales the ball on their 27. Two passes later, one a 60-yard pass play to Cruz Belden put six more on the board. The PAT was good and it was 27-0 with 8:52 on the clock.

Then as if a switch came on Raton marched down the field and finished it off with a 1-yard romp by Seth Parker for six. Toby Henson put it through the uprights and it was 7-27.

Raton’s Dante Mileta recovered an onside kick that started a six play 36 yard drive with a pass play to Tyler Vertovec for six. Henson made good on the PAT and it was 14-27.

On Portales’ next series the yellow flag resulted in the ejection of a Portales coach and penalties that moved the ball back to the Portales 19. The punt gave Raton the ball to finish the half.

On a brighter note the Raton Tigercats performed halftime and was followed by the RHS marching band on the field. It was quite a sight to see the band on the field.

Third quarter action moved on with three and outs for both teams before a Raton fumble resulted in a 4-play drive from the Raton 27. Navarette carried the ball the one-yard for six. Dustin Sisneros once again placed the ball through the uprights to make it 34-14.

Taking over on downs Portales put together a three-play drive that included a 25-yard pass play to Daniel Hernandez followed by a 15-yard run by Paul Conrow. The PAT went wide and left the score 40-14.

Raton started off with a pass interception by Daniel Wattenbarger then Luke Cimino recovered a Portales fumble on the Ram 36. From there they moved forward and just inside the fourth quarter Seth Parker rambled 23 yards for six. Henson then made the score 21-40.

Raton and Portales exchanged pass interceptions with Raton’s Caleb Wood taking the Portales interception to the Ram 18. A 21-yard pass play to Tyler Vertovec resulted in another six for Raton. Henson again made it good on the PAT and it was 28-40 with 5:29 left on the clock.

A fumble on the punt return gave Portales the ball back on the Raton 20. Luis Ruiz makes up for his punt fumble with a pass interception that was followed by Miguel Garza picking off a Henson pass at the Raton 29. Four plays later Portales’ James Sotelo took it 18 yards for six with a 1:35 on the clock. Sisneros shanked the PAT and left the score 46-28.

Seven turnovers and mental mistakes, as coach Walton later put it, it is hard for any team to recover from a couple of turnovers let alone seven. He added we have been working on the mental mistakes all week and think we have them fixed but come game time there they are again.

Walton added that he felt he wasn’t getting his point across to the players and he takes 100% of the blame for that.

Raton will host Clayton in the Jungle Friday night. Clayton now 3-0 before Friday night’s action will again test the Tigers to see if the fixes are working.