After the game and season ended, senior running back Jack Purdy hugged every teammate, coach and manager on his Española Valley football team, with a personalized greeting for every one of them, telling them how much he loved them and what he expected from them in the future.
“I’m so proud of all those guys, those are the future of the team,” Purdy said. “Just let them know that I love them, I’m still here for them, I’m proud of them. Don’t be so sad that I’m leaving, and all of us are leaving. Just be happy that it happened.”
He also has personalized nicknames for players. Among his favorite, ‘Crazy Fanta’ for junior lineman Nick Sandoval, and ‘Bear’ for sophomore Dylan Sandoval.
Those greetings followed a tough loss to end the season for Española. The Sundevils (8-4) were outclassed on both sides of the ball from the very beginning against No. 2 seed Lovington (8-3), and lost 52-0 in a game that ended in the third quarter. Facing the best opponent the Sundevils have seen in years, Española fought through the end, but faced an impressive team with speed at every position.
“There’s no beating around the bush, we just got slapped up and down the field, and it sucks,” Purdy said. “(Lovington) are a great football team, got nothing but respect for them.”
It was believed to be the first time in history that the two schools have met for football. It ends an incredible season for the Sundevils where for the first time in school history they won their district outright, and also for the first time they won a district playoff game. As Española Coach Tylon Wilder told the team before the game, they earned the right to be on that field and play against Lovington.
“This doesn’t change the fact that we had a great, phenomenal season,” Wilder said.
The day had a rough start for the Sundevils. About 2 hours before the game, senior starting defensive end Adam Garcia — the team leader in sacks — tripped and fell outside the locker room, and had to be transported to a local hospital for stitches on his leg and a head evaluation. Garcia did return to the sideline in the second quarter to support the team, but was unable to play in his final career game.
Understandably, the Sundevils were a bit mentally rattled after seeing a teammate lifted into an ambulance before the game.
That may have contributed to a slow start for the Sundevils. Lovington went ahead 21-0 by the end of the first quarter, led 44-0 at halftime, and finished off a 52-0 win with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.
“I’m just sad, because it didn’t go our way,” said senior safety Abraham Tamayo. “But, you know, it happens. It’s my senior year. But hopefully, they’ll be back. Come watch them be better.”
Adrick DeLeon led the Sundevils with 33 yards on 13 carries, while Española’s offense struggled to gain any traction. Wilder said that any plan they had used during the year to try to gain an edge was locked down.
“They were just too fast for us,” Wilder said.
Sophomore Quarterback Irvin Primero completed 4-of-8 passes without any interceptions but with one fumble, with nine yards (a number that is worse due to a minus-17 yard reception on Española’s final drive). Primero rarely had any time to throw or anyone open to whom he could throw. The youngster stepped in this year while still relatively new to football. He should be able to reach a new level of play next year with a full offseason of preparation.
“Good for Irvin, coming out here and doing this stuff. He only has one summer of football under his belt,” Wilder said. “This is his first summer, this is his first year, and he’s only been a quarterback for six games, ever? As a sophomore, so, good for him.”
Lovington had allowed 20 or more points to every opponent this year. But they had faced a schedule of the toughest teams (their biggest win was against Santa Fe, who competes in 6A), and seem to be at their peak as they head potentially toward a state title.
Defensively, field position was an issue all day. While Lovington scored almost every time they had the ball, they usually did not have far to go. They finished the day with just 295 yards of offense for their 52 points (four of which came on safeties and another seven on a defensive score). When they did move the ball, it was usually on an impressive catch or a speedster on the sideline more than any defensive breakdown. Wide receiver Demarcus Thompson gave the Sundevils fits with his ability to break tackles and outrun defenders, and he scored three touchdowns including one on defense.
Lovington started the day with a long kickoff return, all the way to Española’s 14-yard line. But for the first drive, Española held strong, and a fourth-down pass fell incomplete. But the Sundevils could not capitalize on the momentum, and punted after three plays. Thompson responded with a long run out of the wildcat formation, setting up Lovington in the red zone. They scored their first touchdown soon after.
Española did not pick up a first down until its third drive, on a good passing play, already down 21-0. After they punted on that drive, Lovington drove most of the length of the field.
But Abraham Tamayo grabbed an impressive interception off of Lovington quarterback Wyatt Gomez, who ranks as the second-leading passer in the state in both yards and touchdowns.
“I’ll take anything, any little good thing that happens in a game,” Wilder said. “He played a great game.”
For the last drive of the second half, now down 37-0, the Sundevils busted out their ‘train’ formation, with 10 big blockers in front of one runner — Adrick DeLeon. That seemed to work, and got the Sundevils to near midfield against the running clock, and they took a timeout for a final shot at the end zone. Instead, it turned into a sack, with Thompson running the other way unimpeded for a touchdown.
In the second half, Española went backward, and ended up with a safety. Punts were, at times, an adventure for the Sundevils. The first three went off successfully for Española, then one was blocked, leading to a Lovington drive starting at the 7-yard line, and two resulted in safeties.
Lovington got the ball back, and seven plays later scored the game-ending touchdown. On the final drive, the Sundevils were able to rotate in younger players for some rare playing time. That included junior Marcus Bustamante, a defensive lineman who has been at every practice since eighth grade despite rarely entering games. He is clearly a favorite on the sideline, and the team cheers him on as “BM” — Big Marcus.
“What I like about this team is when they rally around the littlest things,” Wilder said. “The heart type of moments. Passion type of moments.”
After the game, Wilder announced to the team that DeLeon was awarded the District Offensive Player of the Year, after leading the state in touchdowns with 31, and Sandoval was the Defensive Player of the Year as a junior. Wilder himself was named the District Coach of the Year.
The Sundevils will lose 10 seniors, many at key positions. But they also have several strong juniors, including three-fifths of an offensive line that led them through the season. Combined with Primero behind center and Wilder at the helm, the Sundevils should remain a force in the coming years. (Also, don’t forget about Andres Valenzuela, who became one of the best kickers in the state in his first year ever trying it.)
The Wildcats advance to the semifinals to face No. 3 seed Silver (9-2); the Colts defeated the Wildcats in last year’s semifinal. According to MaxPreps’ algorithm, Lovington entered the day as the top-ranked team in 4A (with by far the hardest schedule) and as No. 7 across all classifications.
Throughout the game, officials were calling out Española’s worn-out jerseys that came loose and had pads show through. At halftime, a committee of family members came down to the sideline to sew up as many loose ends on the jerseys as possible. After the longest season Española had ever played, they needed repairs.
“These jerseys are four years old, they’re on their last thread,” Wilder said. “No pun intended.”