Grants High School took prime advantage of elk season Oct. 4, hounding Pojoaque High School 46-0 during the Elks’ homecoming weekend.
Despite some solid passing plays by Pojoaque quarterback Michael Garcia and receivers Carlos Vigil and Rob Vigil, the Elks were unable to string together enough of those plays to build a successful drive.
“Our kids gotta work at being consistent,” head coach Quevin Redding said.
They were also a young, undermanned Class AAA team playing both sides against a well-stocked Grants team of bigger players. Although the Class AAAA Pirates are just 2-3 on the season, their other victory was a 55-0 pounding of Española Valley High School Sept. 19.
Early in the first quarter, Grants running back Brandon Rael caught a short pitch into the end zone for the Pirates’ first touchdown. Pojoaque almost immediately fumbled on the ensuing possession, and Grants recovered the ball on the Elks’ 28-yard line. After a short drive Jeremy Chavez ran in for another touchdown, and with only half of the first quarter in the books Pojoaque was down 13-0.
In the second quarter Garcia kept the ball and ran for significant yardage on a couple of Pojoaque plays, but it wasn’t enough. Touchdown carries by Rael and Pirates quarterback Charles Miller put Grants ahead 25-0 at the half.
The second half continued in much the same vein, with Grants posting all of its 21 additional points during the third quarter.
A frustrated Redding said some of his players give their all, but others lack focus — a problem that’s magnified during homecoming week. It’s all part of the building process, and it’s going to take time, he said.
“Sixteen-year-old kids, they get bored with doing the same thing over and over again,” he said. “But if that’s what’s working, don’t be bored.”
After the game, and after the rest of his team had headed for the locker room and on to homecoming festivities, Redding huddled with Garcia and the two Vigils. The three athletes not only scrambled for big gains on offense, they were also making key blocks and tackles on defense. Redding said those three showed up to practice every day in the summer, and they were really upset by the loss to Grants.
“I told them, ‘When we can get everyone to feel the way you three feel after every loss, we’ll be fine,’” Redding said. “You can’t make kids care. That’s where we’re at.”
The Elks open district play Saturday against the West Las Vegas Dons.