Week 11
In 4A, it’s the very end of the regular season. And 2A teams are left to just wait for the release of the state tournament bracket, which will come early Sunday morning. But first, we have the Chile Bowl! Red vs. Green!
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Game of the Week
Pojoaque Valley Elks (3-6) vs. Española Valley Sundevils (6-3)
Friday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m. in Española
Final Score: Española 50, Pojoaque 0
With Pojoaque down to its bare bones after a season’s worth of injuries, the Sundevils dominated from the first play in what turned into a tune-up game for state. Now, the Sundevils are ready to watch Sunday’s state selection show, and see if they host a home game in the first round.
Española Stat Leaders
Rushing: Jack Purdy – 7 carries, 59 yards, 2 TD | Adrick DeLeon – 3 carries, 57 yards, 3 TD | Zeke Cuevas – 4 carries, 27 yards, 1 TD | Miguel Galvan – 2 carries, 24 yards, 1 TD
Passing/Receiving: N/A
Pojoaque Stat Leaders
Passing: Ethan Meloy – 2/9, 56 yards, 1 INT
Rushing: Ethan Meloy – 3 carries, 4 yards
Receiving: Andrew Martinez – 1 reception, 31 yards | Corey Gonzales – 1 reception, 25 yards
Preview: The rivalry game will feature two teams with seasons heading in opposite directions — the Sundevils have won five games in a row, and looked unstoppable last week in a blowout against Moriarty. The Elks, meanwhile, have lost four straight games while they have not been able to get their banged-up offense going, scoring six or fewer points in all four.
But Pojoaque’s defense remains stout, staying strong against tough teams in recent weeks. They had a chance against Taos, down by just one score into the second half, but fell off later. The Sundevils, meanwhile, had an incredible defensive performance, forcing Moriarty backward for much of the game in a shutout.
Expect Pojoaque to bring a fight to this game to end their season on a high note, especially for senior quarterback Ethan Meloy’s last game. And freshman Jonah Villegas has added juice to the team on both sides of the ball. The Sundevils may rest some players for at least parts of this last game, having already clinched the district title.
Escalante Lobos (4-6)
Bye Week
The Lobos capped their regular season with a tough loss in the district championship game, as Santa Rosa came out on top 50-0. Escalante struggled to move the ball anywhere on offense, while the Lions ran wild. Now, the Lobos can just wait this week to see who they have to face in the state tournament first round, as likely a member of the 8-team field.
McCurdy Bobcats (6-3)
The Bobcats finished the regular season strong, winning by 50 over Laguna-Acoma. Coach Robert Nevarez said he did not expect the game to end as early as it did (early in the fourth quarter) and he did not even have time to put in all of the backup players. McCurdy will wait and see if they make the 2A playoff field, but after their loss to Escalante it seems unlikely despite a great season.
Dulce Hawks (4-5)
Dulce finished their season with a 54-0 halftime loss to Clayton. The next day, Clayton was announced as the No. 7 seed in the 8-man state playoffs. Dulce also lost 52-0 to Tatum, the No. 8 seed, showing just how far Dulce has to go in this field. Still, they can look back on a strong four-win season and see hope for their future.