Jags escape Belen showdown; captures Plow trophy

BELEN — As the ball hit the turf in the Belen Eagles end zone, there was a brief silence.

Was the game over? Would another penalty flag come flying in?

Ultimately, the officials ruled the pass incomplete, and Valencia (2-1) had just secured the 20-14 victory over Belen.

“It took a minute to process that we had just won the game,” said LeDarrius Cage, Valencia coach. “I’m happy the secondary stayed focused in a crucial situation.”

The 4A Jaguars had three pass interference calls during the game, including one moments earlier that gave 5A BHS that final chance to score.

Up until the drama in the fourth quarter, the game featured miscues on both sides. After the Eagles took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a touchdown by Josade Harris, VHS had a TD called back and a punt blocked.

However, the Jags’ defense rose to the occasion, stopping Belen twice inside the two-yard line as time expired to end the first half with the score still 7-0.

Both teams had to adjust at the break because of injuries. Early in the third quarter, Valencia’s running attack began to take control.

“We wanted to push the tempo and try to wear them down on both offense and defense. I think we did a good job of that in the second half,” Cage said.

Two pass receptions by Cade Ash in the third quarter set up a rushing touchdown by quarterback Aiden Harrington to put Valencia on the board. The two-point try was no good, leaving Belen in the lead 7-6.

Eagles answered right back, with a 63-yard scamper down the sideline by Logan Gonzales to make it 14-6; however, on the last play of the third quarter, Valencia’s Michael Storms III crossed the goal line. Harrington muscled in for the two-point conversion, and the score was tied 14-14 heading into the final quarter.

With under four minutes to go, Valencia converted on fourth down, leading to a short touchdown run by Harrington. The Eagles’ defense denied the two-point extra point effort, leaving VHS on top 20-14.

On Belen’s final drive, Valencia committed two pass interference penalties, including one with less than a second to go, to give BHS hope. On the final toss, Belen’s Gonzales and Valencia’s Gauge Holloway battled for the ball, only to see it drop to the ground.

Game over, giving Valencia a second victory in the series, which had been on hiatus since 2021.

“We’re talking back and forth but at the end of the day it’s fun,” said Valencia’s Ash, who once attended school in Belen. “We were just going at it. It’s super competitive and I love it.”

Belen (0-2) has now lost two games by six points each.

“It was mistake after mistake after mistake,” is how Kevin Peña, BHS coach, felt about the loss. “They just had a little more juice at the end.”

With the renewal of the rivalry, the Plow trophy was dusted off, brought to the stadium, and carried around the field by the Jaguars.

“We knew we had to step it up in the second half. That’s what we did,” said Ash, a senior.

It appears both teams would like to see the series, which Belen leads 8-2, continue.

“The crowd was good, the environment was nice,” said Peña. “Two teams, county teams playing each other. You know both teams are going to be up for it.”

Cage agreed.

“Absolutely. I think it would be good for both programs.”

The new, expanded district format begins this week when Valencia travels to Cuba (0-3) on Friday.

Belen plays Thursday at 7 p.m. against Valley (0-3) at Albuquerque’s Milne Stadium, the first district game under the expanded format.

During last years’ game between the schools, players from both teams scuffled on the sideline. The programs were given a first strike under the new “two strikes” sportsmanship bylaw implemented by the New Mexico Activities Association.