The McCurdy Bobcats started their season Aug. 29 at home with starting quarterback Louie Martinez and receivers Ryan Bustos and Fernando Avila on the bench.
“It was for a variety of different reasons for different players,” coach Eric Vigil said. “We wanted to teach them some discipline about the type of student we want them to be in and out of school and football.”
The Bobcats didn’t miss their starters, as backup quarterback junior Josh Lovato scored the game’s first touchdown on a 15-yard run with just 1:36 gone in the first quarter. It was the first six points of what would become a 75-12 pounding of the Navajo Pine Warriors.
Senior Justin Chavez intercepted a pass on the Warriors’ ensuing possession and returned it to Navajo Pine’s 10-yard line to set up McCurdy’s second touchdown. Just minutes later Chavez returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown to make the score 22-0 with 4:21 still left in the first quarter.
The Bobcats added a touchdown run by junior Jed Cordova and a touchdown pass from Lovato to senior Lucas Akes to take a 35-0 lead in the first quarter.
The regular starters returned to the lineup in the second quarter after sitting out the first quarter, and Martinez promptly tossed a 55-yard touchdown pass to Chavez on his first passing attempt of the game. Martinez scampered 40 yards for McCurdy’s next touchdown, and McCurdy freshman Chris Martinez scored on a short run to give the Bobcats a 54-0 lead with eight minutes left in the first half.
The starters’ return to action was short-lived, as coach Vigil pulled them from the game and finished the first half with his son, third-string quarterback Eric Vigil Jr. at the helm. McCurdy led 54-0 at halftime.
“We gave the first-teamers one series in the second half,” Vigil said.
McCurdy finished the game with 125 passing yards. Louie Martinez and Lovato combined to complete 6-of-8 passes for four touchdowns.
The Bobcats scored 11 touchdowns all together.
“I don’t think we called a pass play in the second half,” Vigil said.
Vigil did find fault with one aspect of McCurdy’s game. The Bobcats missed five extra points.
“That part of our kicking game we need to work on,” Vigil said. “We have to make sure we get better execution.”
McCurdy hosts Thoreau Saturday. The Bobcats manhandled the Hawks, 46-6, last season at Thoreau.
“If we want to accomplish our goals, there’s still a lot we need to work on,” Vigil said.