Third Quarter Mistakes Trouble Raton

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

            After last week’s electrifying weather delay and cancellation of the Raton, Albuquerque Academy game, this week was picture perfect football weather in the jungle as Raton hosted the Taos Tigers Friday night.

            Raton had a great first half of a ball game ending Taos’ first drive when Luis Ruiz intercepted a Kevin McCarty pass. Mark Hightree added 40-yards with a pass play and Seth Parker finished it with a 3-yard romp to pay dirt. The point after attempt fell short and left the score 6-0 Raton.

            Taos however countered and went 65 yards in 10 plays and ended the drive with a 34-yard romp by Isaac Gonzales. The PAT by Jacob Pacheco was good leaving Taos up by one 7-6.

            Raton’s next series was a short one that ended with a fumble being recovered by Taos’ Joaquin Medina on the Taos 30. Taos then moved up field but Mark Hightree found a McCarty pass and to end the first quarter. Raton however couldn’t convert and went three and out. Taos’ next drive also ended in a punt and an illegal block put Raton back to their own 17.

            The next Raton drive suffered from yellow flag syndrome as both teams suffered penalties. Raton however managed to work the ball down to the Taos six where Seth Parker again plowed through the line for six. He then added a 2-point conversion to make it 14-7 Raton.

            Taos wasn’t finished yet, Isaac Gonzales took the ball 42 yards around the end before he was run out of bounds. Taos however had to end the half without a score.

            Third quarter action started out with Luis Galindo intercepting a Toby Henson pass. Three plays later it was Isaac Gonzales taking it 39 yards for another Taos six. The PAT went wide and it was a 14-13 ball game.

            Raton ended its next series after two when Larry Martinez picked off and Henson pass and rambled 70 yards for six and Gonzales added two more for a 21-14 score.

            The remainder of the third quarter was a defensive struggle with Raton handing the ball over on downs to begin the fourth. The Raton defense held strong to force a Taos punt. Joaquin Medina however ended the Raton drive when he intercepted another pass giving Taos the ball on the Raton 30.

            Taos moved up field with the help of an unsportsman like penalty that was called on the coaches as the band was playing during a Taos play that took the ball to the Raton six. Andrew Maes took it in from the six and added six more for Taos. The Pacheco PAT was good with 3:51 left in the game.

            Mark Hightree and Luis Ruiz were both making great kickoff returns and this time Ruiz took it to the Raton 40. But three plays later Luis Galindo recovers a Raton fumble on the Raton 34. Raton held strong and Taos turned it over on downs at the Raton 31.

            Raton with only a couple of minutes on the clock took the ball and headed north. It was a 47-yard pass play to Mark Hightree who cut and ran about 35 yards of the play for six with only 2.3 seconds left on the clock. Henson split the uprights and made it a 21-28 game. Kevin McCarty took a knee to end the game.

            Coach Brock Walton felt the boys played one of their best games of the season for three quarters. No doubt Raton has had trouble playing four good quarters of football in a game. But when they do gel they make it look good.

            Raton will now travel south to Las Vegas to take on the Robertson Cardinals Friday night for another district match up. They will then host the West Las Vegas Dons for the final game of the regular season on November 2.

Taos' Luis Galindo gets a hand on a Toby Henson pass in the first quarter. Henson retaliated on the next play by scrambling 28 yards.

Mark Hightree turns around to pull in a Toby Henson pass Friday night in the Jungle against Taos.

Jordan Mendez just got a hand on Isaac Gonzales to bring him down before he broke free as he did often during the game Friday night in Raton.

Jonathan Cordova gets in front of Tyler Vertovec and almost grabs a Toby Henson pass late in the game Friday night.

Mark Hightree escapes the grasp of Devin Ortega and rambles the 30 more yards to pay dirt Friday night for the last Raton TD of the night.