The McCurdy Bobcats football team faced a team that came into the day at 6-0.
But Cuba left Chick Martinez Field at 6-1. While McCurdy kept their hot streak going on what was more of a defensive battle than expected.
“Giving them their first loss, on our homecoming game, it just feels incredible,” said senior lineman Mario Perez.
The Bobcats (5-1) scored their fifth-straight win by defeating previously-undefeated Cuba (6-1) 26-7 at home for their homecoming on Sept. 30. Their defense was nearly perfect on the day, with Cuba’s only points coming off of an interception. While their offense was quieter than it had been (McCurdy averaged 57 points over their previous four games), they did enough to score a big win.
“We’re used to scoring a lot of points, and a lot of points fast,” said McCurdy coach Robert Nevarez. “I’m so proud of our defense. Everybody stepped in and played a role today.”
It is McCurdy’s longest win streak since 2012, and already matches their best regular season since that year. Four of the wins for McCurdy, who plays in 2A, have come against bigger 3A schools.
McCurdy star running back Lucas Martinez — who had ran for over 200 yards in three straight games — suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter and missed the rest of the game, spending the second half on crutches. His presence was also missed on defense.
But Jeremaya Roybal, the junior quarterback, stepped up and had a huge day. He in many ways carried the team on both offense and defense. Roybal rushed for 293 yards, averaging 12.7 yards per carry, and three rushing touchdowns.
“He basically took the team on his shoulders in that second half,” Nevarez said.
Sophomore Mari Sanchez also stepped up when called on after Martinez’s injury. He ran the ball for 67 yards on five attempts, including a 36-yard touchdown, and added a 31-yard reception to convert a key third-and-23. But he suffered his own injury in the fourth quarter. Nevarez said that Sanchez should be fine, while Martinez could need further tests.
McCurdy moved the ball well on every drive of the game. They won by 19 despite losing the turnover battle 3-0.
“We’re really confident,” Roybal said. “I just see everyone speaking up more, and being closer as a team.”
The Bobcats’ first two drives both ended with interceptions, with the second one returned for a touchdown for the first points of the game. After that, though, McCurdy finished the game scoring 26 straight points. After a few short plays to start their next drive, Roybal broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run, and Sanchez’s two-point run on a jet sweep put McCurdy ahead.
After forcing a punt, their next drive again had a breakout run from Roybal, who went 71 yards into the end zone to extend the lead.
Right before the half, Cuba had a long drive deep into McCurdy territory. But with time winding down, Jacob Samaniego forced an intentional grounding penalty, and Cuba’s last throw with time expired in the half fell incomplete.
In the second half, Cuba’s drive ended with a fourth-down pass broken up by Sanchez, who then capped McCurdy’s next drive with a touchdown run. And at the start of the fourth quarter, Perez blocked a punt, and Roybal ran in his third touchdown on the next play. Cuba’s final drive went backward before time expired.
“Feel like everybody grew up today as a team,” Perez said. “Everybody did their jobs, and the scoreboard proves it.”
McCurdy starts district play next week with a tough game against Santa Rosa (6-1), one of the state’s top teams. Last year, the Lions won that matchup 61-6 after going up 48-0 in the first half. McCurdy will need a strong showing in a tough district to make the state tournament for the first time since 2016, when the field had 12 teams instead of eight.
But after the game, Nevarez told the team to enjoy the rest of their weekend.
“Go enjoy homecoming,” Nevarez said. “This is the first year in quite a few years we’ve won our homecoming. Go enjoy it.”
Preparing for Santa Rosa could wait until Monday.