Raul Arroyo did all he could do to keep McCurdy Charter School alive against Cloudcroft High School on Aug. 25 for the opening game of the season at Chic Martinez Field on the Bobcats’ campus.
The all-around player and senior scored five touchdowns (three rushing, two receiving and an interception return), but the Bears’ offensive attack proved too much for the Bobcats’ defense to handle.
“You can kinda blame it on me,” McCurdy head coach Ronald Gallegos said. “Our defense just wasn’t there cause we haven’t practiced it (enough).”
The Bobcats came out competitive and moved the ball right down the field on their opening possession, resulting in a 8-yard touchdown run by Arroyo.
Cloudcroft’s first two possessions ended in interceptions thrown by Dylan Eldridge, but McCurdy was unable to take advantage of the two turnovers.
“The first half was not bad,” Gallegos said. “We were right there in that game. The fact we didn’t capitalize and they got ahead of us put a bad, sour taste in our mouths.”
One critical portion of the first half came with the Bobcats trailing 20-13 with 5:37 left in the second quarter. Ernesto Martinez returned a failed Cloudcroft onside kick attempt all the way down to the Bears’ 11 yard-line, but McCurdy was unable to score and turned the ball over on downs.
On Cloudcroft’s first snap after forcing the change of possession, Eldridge threw a short out route to Nathan Toddy, who slipped out of two tackles and proceeded to take the ball all the way to the endzone for a 96-yard touchdown.
“We had up to a three-score lead and to have that happen after that big return by McCurdy, it got us back into rhythm,” Cloudcroft head coach Hayden Burnett said. “We were backed up against our own goal line, but thankful for the wheels behind No. 10 (Toddy), that helped change the momentum of the whole game.”
Gallegos said the missed tackles were the killer of the game.
“We lost four touchdowns because of missed tackles” he said. “We just can’t win like that.”
Cloudcroft took a 28-19 lead into halftime moments after Arroyo scored a touchdown on an interception, but the Bears responded by scoring on the opening drive of the second half to extend the lead to 36-19, then never looked back.
Toddy scored four touchdowns and Eldridge accounted for five for the Bears, who won their inaugural game playing 11-man football, after previously competing in the 8-man class.
“I’m not new to 11-man, I came form Texas,” Burnett, the first-year head coach said. “We started the game off rough with two interceptions there, but I thought these guys showed resiliency to come back and score 62 points. They’ve bought in to the program.”
Cloudcroft had to travel four-plus hours and their bus had issues early in the commute. By the time the team made it to La Joya Street, just down the road from McCurdy’s campus, the bus was on its last leg, taking “20 minutes to go the rest of the way at four miles per hour,” Burnett said.
The team traveled back safely on a McCurdy bus.
Change in mind
One common theme in the game was injuries and stoppage of play — on both sides. Several players had to be helped off with cramps, which Gallegos contributed to his players not being in shape in a result of not participating at full strength in the summer.
“Yes Indeed, It was right there, you could see it,” he said when asked about conditioning. “Maybe two or three kids in good shape and they lasted the whole game—Jacob (Martinez), Santiago (Samora), the quarterback, (they) were two of them. Those two right there have been constant all summer, give them kudos.”
McCurdy fullback Brandon Lovato also had to be helped off in the first quarter with a knee injury.
Gallegos said there will be several early changes before his squad’s next game on Saturday against Cuba High School, who defeated Santa Fe Indian School, 25-16, in week 1.
“We have a lot to change in personnel and it’s a learning adjustment,” he said. “Somethings got to change, it can’t go on like this. If you miss a practice, you’re gonna sit the game.”
Also around District 1/5-2A: Laguna-Acoma defeated Dulce, forfeit; Escalante defeated Tucumcari, 28-26; Mission Achievement & Success defeated Mescalero Apache, 39-24 and Newcomb defeated Navajo Prep, 31-0.