The Escalante Lobos overcame a week filled with distractions Oct. 3 to dominate the Pagosa Springs (Colo.) Pirates junior varsity team in the Lobos’ Homecoming game in Tierra Amarilla.
On top of the hoopla of Homecoming week, the Chama School District was hit with the arrest last week of athletic director and assistant football coach Sonny Villegas for allegedly abusing his wife. Villegas has been released from jail and was on the sidelines for the game.
Coaches refused to comment on how players were reacting to Villegas’ arrest, but an experienced Escalante group of eight seniors and eight juniors let an explosive offensive attack and solid pass defense do the talking.
“Homecoming is always a little bit different of a week because of the festivities,” Escalante Coach Diego Brusuelas said. “But we did a real good job of focusing on the game. It makes it easier with an experienced team.”
The Lobos struck quickly, as senior quarterback Justin Atencio returned the opening kickoff deep into Pirate territory and then marched into the end zone on the Lobos’ first play from scrimmage.
But Pagosa Springs put up a fight and silenced Escalante’s offense for the rest of the quarter.
“I give credit to Pagosa Springs,” Brusuelas said. “They had a good scheme on defense that gave us some problems.”
Escalante struck again with 10:24 to go in the second quarter as Atencio connected with junior receiver Eric Besler on an 80-yard bomb for a touchdown, putting the Lobos up 14-0.
That was all the Lobos would need for the win.
The Pirates tried to keep things interesting, making their first real threat midway through the second quarter after Escalante turned the ball over on downs on its own 10-yard line. Pagosa Springs faced a fourth-and-four on the Escalante 5-yard line, but senior defensive tackle Carlos Casados snagged an interception at the goal line to get the Lobos out of trouble.
Then, with minutes to go in the first half, Escalante’s senior tight end Andrew Garcia lined up under center and connected with junior running back Isaiah Maldonado for a 53-yard touchdown, putting the Lobos ahead 20-0 at halftime.
Pagosa Springs moved the ball deep into Lobo territory twice in the third quarter, but interceptions — one by junior cornerback John Salazar and one by junior safety Miguel Archuleta — doomed both drives.
Archuleta’s interception set the Lobos up for another Atencio touchdown on a five-yard quarterback dive.
The Pirates finally got on the board in the fourth quarter after recovering a fumbled option pitch on Escalante’s 22-yard line. Pagosa Springs converted the two-point conversion, cutting the Lobos’ lead to 26 to 8.
But it was too little too late for Pagosa.
“For a (junior varsity) team, I think they did pretty well,” Pagosa Springs coach Brian Looper said.
Atencio accounted for two Escalante late-game touchdowns to seal the victory for the Lobos.