Week 10
Just two weeks left in the regular season. And for 2A teams, it is the final week, with a district championship up for grabs. It’s make-or-break time for Rio Arriba’s two teams.
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Game of the Week
Moriarty Pintos (5-3) vs. Española Valley Sundevils (5-3)
Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. in Española
Final Score: Española 50, Moriarty 0
Well, that was really something. The Sundevils played perhaps the best game in school history. On defense they sure did, forcing Moriarty backward for the entire second half. And the offense, especially the rushing game, turned on the jets in the second half as they clinched a district championship.
Española Stat Leaders
Passing: Irvin Primero – 3/6, 84 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Adrick DeLeon – 16 carries, 211 yards, 2 TD | Jack Purdy – 16 carries, 171 yards, 3 TD
Receiving: Abraham Tamayo – 2 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD
Preview: This could turn into the district championship game, with the two teams that expect to be the top in the district. After the Sundevils beat Taos last week, they turn now to the district favorite, a Moriarty team that has become a mainstay in the state tournament.
The Sundevils have not beat the Pintos in at least 20 years – we’ll have to check the archives to see how far back that goes. In five meetings since 2016, by far the closest matchup was last year, a 34-point Sundevil loss. Since the most recent redistricting, it has not been close.
But this year, Española has high hopes and seeks a competitive game. Both teams love to run the ball behind a strong offensive line. Adrick DeLeon has been on an absolute tear as of late for the Sundevils, with 15 touchdowns in the last three weeks. His 23 scores on the season is second-best in the state.
Santa Rosa Lions (8-1) vs. Escalante Lobos (4-5)
Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. in Tierra Amarilla
Final Score: Santa Rosa 55, Escalante 0
Escalante still has a ways to go yet again, going down early and ending in a mercy-rule loss to the Lions. This matchup could come up again if Santa Rosa winds up the top seed in the 2A playoffs, with Escalante likely in at No. 8.
Preview: The Lobos may have wrapped up a playoff spot last week with their defeat of McCurdy. Now they get a taste of what their competition there could be like with one of the top teams in 2A. The District Championship game will be a major challenge for the Lobos, who look to improve from their 50-0 loss last year. Trey Archuleta has been fantastic for the Lobos, with 21 rushing touchdowns this season, 14 between their last three wins.
Taos Tigers (2-6) vs. Pojoaque Elks (3-5)
Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. at Pojoaque
Final Score: Taos 35, Pojoaque 6
The Elks stayed strong for a while, but the story was the same as it has been in recent weeks for Pojoaque. A defense held as long as it could, but eventually gave out under an offense struggling to put points on the board. Next week against Española gives one more chance to send a message.
Preview: The Elks, after a tough loss in Moriarty, are holding on to an outside chance at a playoff spot, needing to win their last two games. This week gives them a chance to show just how much they have improved, against a reeling Taos team. Pojoaque’s defense has been strong in recent weeks, but the offense while battling injuries has struggled to find a rhythm. Taos has a seven-game win streak against the Elks going back to 2014.
Laguna-Acoma Hawks (2-6) vs. McCurdy Bobcats (5-3)
Saturday, Oct. 21, 1 p.m. in Española
While the Bobcats’ playoff hopes may have ended at the hands of Escalante last week, they still have plenty of pride to play for, and a six-win season would show great improvement in building for the future. On paper, the Bobcats should be a big favorite; they crushed Santa Fe Indian, who beat the Hawks, and they beat Cuba, who also won big over Laguna-Acoma. But that all goes out the window in district play, and the Hawks have consistently played tough against McCurdy.
Dulce Hawks (4-4) vs. Clayton Yellowjackets (4-5)
Friday, Oct. 20, 6 p.m. in Clayton
Final Score: Clayton 54, Dulce 0
Dulce finishes off a strong four-win season under coach Lawry Johnson’s first. But they are still far off from the top 8-man teams. Another year should lead to more improvement, and it remains to be seen whether that will come in 8-man or 11-man.
Preview: The Hawks, after a tough few weeks, scored another win to get back to .500 with one game left in their season. While independent they are not eliglble for postseason play, so one last game is just for pride. Another tough one against a team that recently moved down to 8-man, Clayton scored a win earlier this season against a Tatum team that beat Dulce 52-0. But the Hawks have nothing to lose, and are sure to come out hard.