Published Oct 16, 2008
It’s going to be a rough finish to the football season for at least two local teams. Pojoaque and Española Valley high schools will be hard pressed to manage a single victory in their remaining games.
Fortunately, each team does have at least one victory they can look back on and smile. Pojoaque beat Española 36-22 for the Elks’ first football win over the Sundevils since 2000.
Española defeated Santa Fe Indian School 30-26 for the first homecoming victory in over eight years. Ironically, it was 2000 when Española last won its homecoming game.
The Sundevils are struggling through a rebuilding year, but things are looking up for the future. The middle school program is doing well, with more players than they’ve had in years. Española’s youth football team was undefeated before being knocked off Oct. 4 by, of all teams, Pojoaque. That’s a great improvement from last year, when Española went 0-8 in youth football.
Pojoaque is also looking to the future, with solid middle school and youth football programs.
The development of youth football is especially encouraging. Let’s face it — the sport that kids grow up doing in this part of Northern New Mexico is basketball. They shoot hoops in their driveways and backyards, often with parents, siblings, aunts or uncles. There are numerous youth basketball teams and have been for decades.
To many people here, basketball isn’t just a sport, it’s the only sport.
The problem is, only a handful of athletes ever get to play varsity basketball. When students realize that they aren’t going to make it, a lot of them give up sports entirely.
By introducing young children to football, you give them a choice other than basketball. Football also allows more players to participate at a varsity level.
In fact, football thrives with bigger numbers of players. At the very least, coaches have a body to put on the field and competition is stiffer for each position. As it stands now, most players at Pojoaque are required to play both offense and defense, with little chance for a break. Española’s numbers are a little better, but many of the players are playing football for the first time.
Last October, I wrote a column critical of the Española football team. I knew it would upset some people, but the Sundevils were not playing up to their potential. It was encouraging to see them come back and play well during their late-season district games.
This year’s team is different. Española has just a handful of good football players and a lot of young athletes who are trying to be good. Keep trying, guys. It’s better to try and fail than not to try at all.
The seniors on last year’s team started their careers as sophomores with a 0-10 season, but they stuck with it. In the final game of their final season, they beat Taos 72-39 and set a school record for points scored.
That wouldn’t have happened if they’d quit after one year.
Pojoaque has already shown some promise with their 16-6 win over West Las Vegas Oct. 11. I always pull for the Elks in this game because of what happened in 2003, when the Dons’ homecoming queen scored the first touchdown and thoroughly embarrassed Pojoaque.
The Elks have exacted some measure of revenge by beating the Dons in each of the last four years. Even during a turmoil-filled 2007 season, the Elks defeated West Las Vegas 22-18.
Last but not least, the final regular season game for McCurdy and Escalante Nov. 1 should be another great showdown with the Class A playoffs at stake. Both teams have been lighting up the scoreboard recently, and this game has all the makings of a real shoot-out. It’s one I’m really looking forward to.