The Dulce football team started 3-0, and is off to their best season in perhaps a decade.
In week four, they had a chance to see how they really measure against the state’s top teams. And they learned that they still have a ways to go.
The Hawks (3-1) took their first loss on Thursday at home, losing 56-0 to Ft. Sumner/House (2-0) in a game that ended at halftime due to the mercy rule.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Dulce coach Lawry Johnson said he told the team. “Fort Sumner beat everybody like that last year. There’s no reason to hang your head. It just depends on how you bounce back next week.”
Dulce has been led this year by quarterback Issak Reval, who accounted for 11 touchdowns in the first three games in his first year behind center. And the passing game was a strength at times for Dulce even in the lopsided game.
Despite the loss, sophomore receiver Antonio Herrera impressed by catching all three of his targets and gaining 32 yards. The Hawks were without starting running back Aljae Dixon, who missed the game with a wrist injury.
A year ago, the Foxes beat all 11 of their opponents en route to a championship by an average score of 47-14. The Hawks seemed to be intimidated by their size, and struggled to keep up mentally.
“We just came out a little flat, flatter than we usually do,” Johnson said. “We didn’t have that same intensity like we did in previous games.”
The Hawks have already won more games than they did last year (finishing 1-6), and they see that difference in their play.
“We’re way better than last year,” said Herrera, who did not have a chance to play in 2022. “We’re better physically, strongly and mentally.”
Dulce won the coin toss and deferred to the second half that they would never see. The Foxes ran 62 yards on their first play for a score. Then, on Dulce’s first play, they fumbled the snap and lost the ball. After Fort Sumner got down to the 11 yards line, Dulce made them work for the score, but score they did.
And just like that, Dulce was down 16-0 before they had a chance to run a full offensive play.
“They were a lot more prepared,” Herrera said. “We weren’t.”
The Hawks grabbed a first down, then punted, and let up another score. On their third drive, two long pass completions put Dulce into Fort Sumner territory. But a penalty on their sideline, a false start and a sack set them back, and the Hawks threw an interception on third-and-long.
Fort Sumner scored easily every time they had the ball. And after their next two scores, both times they successfully recovered an onside kick.
Dulce had the ball again down 48-0, but an offensive facemask set them back, and eventually they turned the ball over on downs. Fort Sumner scored again to go up 56-0. With the clock running, Dulce was unable to gain yardage, and the game ended at halftime.
“We’re kind of getting down on ourselves, but we need to get picked up,” Herrera said after the game. “It depends how we come back next (game). It’s sad, but we’ll come back from this.”
In total, Dulce went backwards two yards on five rushing attempts. Between Reval and James Johnson, the passing game (outside of sacks) gained 70 yards on 5-for-11 passing.
The Hawks have a week off for Go-Jii-Ya. They return on Sept. 22 for a road game against Logan (2-1).
“Good thing is, we’re still 3-1,” Lawry Johnson said. “No reason to be sad about anything. You just learn from it, grow from it, get better from here.”