Second Half Troubles Tigers

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

It was a back and forth first half that ended in a tie game going into the locker room but the second half of the game was a totally different story as Pojoaque ran off with their homecoming game 40-21.

A pass interception by Caleb Wood ended the first Pojoaque drive but Raton was unable to convert the drive into points and turned the ball over on the Pojoaque 15 yard line. From there Pojoaque took the ball down to the 20 where a pass from John Answorth to Vidal Gonzales found the end zone for six. Mario Urquidi made the PAT and it was a 7-0 ball game with 53 seconds left in the first quarter.

Raton took the ball into the second quarter and the end zone with a 10 yard run by Tyler Vertovec, Toby Henson stuck the PAT and tied the game at seven, the clock read 9:08 left in the second quarter. Then the fireworks began and with less than three minutes to play both teams found the end zone and not just once either.

The next Pojoaque drive went 10 quick plays and ended on a five-yard pass play to Arsenio Cole. The PAT failed and left it 13-7 with 2:49 on the clock.

Luis Ruiz made the magic happen and took the kickoff 64 yards to the Pojo 25. Three plays later Seth Parker scrambled 13 long yards for six. The PAT was blocked and it was a tie game again at 13 with 1:34 left in the half.

                  Pojoaque made a 59-yard pass play to Juan Rios on their third play from scrimmage for six. Mario Urquidl took it in for the 2-point conversion and it was a 21-13 ball game with 1:04 on the clock.

                  Three plays later Mark Hightree, all alone, takes a Toby Henson 27 yard pass play for six with 25 seconds left in the half. Caleb Wood ended the Pojoaque drive with another pass interception to end the half and leave it a 21-tie game.

                  Raton's first series of the second half ended with a punt after two holding calls. The Punt gave Pojoaque the ball on the 42. After seven plays Isaac Martinez took a 5-yard pass play for six. The PAT was good and that started the Pojoaque scoring for the second half with 6:44 on the clock.

                  Adam Duran picked off a Toby Henson pass and went about 35 yards for the TD. Urquidi's PAT was good and its 34-21 score. That one play really seemed to take the air out of the balloon for Raton and they never were able to recover.

                  Raton again suffering from the yellow flag is faced with a 4th and 22. Toby Henson fakes the punt and heads up field only to turn it over on downs at the 50-yard line.

                  Five plays later Jesse Gomez takes it five yards for six more Pojoaque points. A bad snap doomed the PAT and left the score 40-21.

                  Raton takes it into the fourth quarter and ended the drive in five plays when an Elk player got a hand up and batted down the fourth down pass play. Caleb Wood having a great game ended the next Pojoaque drive with another pass interception. Raton however unable to do anything had to punt it away.

                  The remainder of the game went back and forth and Pojoaque ended it with a knee for the win and a fine finish for a homecoming game.

                  Raton will now look forward to this week and homecoming on Friday. The girls will host West Las Vegas Lady Dons Thursday evening for their portion of the homecoming week. 

Isaac Martinez (21) and Adam Moore (23) break up a pass to Tyler Vertovec on the goal line early in the game Friday night in Pojoaque.

Mark Hightree makes one of several catches Friday night in Pojoaque as Jesus Urquidi bears down.

Its a foot race as Luis Ruiz scampers 64 yards down the field before Juan Rios finally catches him with a shoestring tackle at the Pojoaque 25. Raton would capitalize on the return when Seth Parker would take it in from the 13 yard line.

The frustration began to set in as coach Hunker Main looked on from the sidelines after Pojoaque had scored twice more.

Jordan Mendez takes the hand off from QB Toby Henson. Mendez would make several runs late in the game for Raton.

Jordan Mendez (5) and Mario Urquidi (24) go for the loose ball as a bad snap to John Ainsworth (7) on the PAT, gets loose.

Raton's Tyler Vertovec breaks up this pass from John Ainsworth to Paul Tafoya late in the game Friday night in Pojoaque.

There he goes again, Caleb Wood makes another pass interception early in the fourth quarter. Mistakes plague Raton on the series and they go three and out.

Volleyball Raton v Clayton
Cteam
Clayton 25. 25
Raton 21. 11

Jv
Clayton 23. 19
Raton 25   25

Varsity
Clayton 23. 26. 11. 18
Raton 25. 24. 25. 25

Raton takes four to Win

By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media

The Yellowjackettes traveled to the jungle gym Tuesday afternoon for Raton's home opener. The Lady Tigers took the match in four with a very close loss in game two.

While game one was a win by two it wasn't that close until late in the game. Strong play at the net and good volleys kept it exciting. In game two the Lady Tigers trailed by as much as seven until they pulled it together with several slams and tied the game at 21. It was nip and tuck until an error allowed Clayton to get the upper hand and finish it out winning by two.

The next two games were simply Raton as they they pulled out in front early. In game four the Lady Tigers struggled but maintained lead and finally the win.

The Lady tigers will host West Las Vegas in the jungle on October 11 for the volleyball homecoming.

Tara McDonald sends the ball back over while Caydence Sisneros is below in case she missed. The Lady Tigers lost both C-team games.

Leah Cimino makes the slam in the JV game against Clayton.

Breannon Trujillo sends it back over for the Lady Tigers during the varsity game.

Lady Tiger Michelle Guara goes to the floor to keep the ball in play during the varsity game Tuesday evening.

Back down it goes as, Dominque Zamora makes the play during the varsity game in the jungle.

Yellowjackette Kylah Mann stretches it out to make the play and keep the ball in play Tuesday evening in the jungle.

Mikala Vertovec makes the play at the net sending it to the floor for another Lady Tiger point.

Mikala Vertovec goes for the slam as Yellowjackettes Raegan Harris and Montana Baker set up for the block.

Strong play at the net was the key to the Raton wins here Breannon Trujillo makes the play as Montana Baker goes for the block.

Another strong play at the net as Raegan Harris makes the slam over the net Tuesday evening.

Yellowjackette Raegan Harris makes the block as Makayla Mondragon meets her at the net Tuesday evening in the jungle.

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.

Caleb Wood gets a hand in to break up this pass play with Koy Geary.

Caleb Wood makes a great play for the Tigers and breaks up this pass to Koy Geary

It Koy Geary again, this time he blocks a Toby Henson PAT late in the game Friday night in the Jungle

Photos from the game are available at
http://martymayfieldphoto.smugmug.com/RHSFootball2012-1