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The high school football season ended in disappointing fashion last weekend for both Los Lunas and Valencia, both eliminated in the state quarterfinals.
Los Lunas Tigers
The football season ended the same way it started for Los Lunas — with a blowout loss to Cleveland.
On Friday, it was a 57-7 setback for the sixth-seeded Tigers (8-3) to No. 3 CHS (10-1) in the quarterfinals of the 6A playoffs on the home field of the Storm.
If there was any thought that Cleveland might be rusty after a first-round playoff bye, that notion was quickly dispelled when Juan Munoz went off on a 60-yard sprint for a 7-0 lead on Cleveland’s first play from scrimmage.
After a short Los Lunas punt, Cleveland quickly scored again to go up 14-0 at the 7:52 mark of the first quarter.
“When a team like Cleveland has two weeks to prepare for you, they’re going to be on point,” said Greg Henington, LLHS coach. “It’s a very mature, established program.”
A long scramble by quarterback Kaiden Reese helped the Tigers get inside the 10-yard line, but a fourth down stop ended the drive, and Cleveland quickly took it the distance on a 94-yard screen pass to Munoz.
Los Lunas found some life on a strike from Reese to J’den Howard that covered 63 yards, pulling the Tigers to within 21-7.
However, any hope of a sustained rally ended with two Cleveland touchdowns by Jacob Maldonado, including one with 34 seconds left in the half. The Storm led 35-7.
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Cleveland added three unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter, including a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown. The last TD and two-point conversation ended the game on the mercy rule with just seconds left in the third quarter.
“We’re very proud of them,” Henington said of his players, including 15 seniors. “The field is covered with sophomores and juniors. I felt we accomplished a heck of a bunch this year.”
As he looked ahead to a Friday matchup against No. 2 Centennial at the Field of Dreams in Las Cruces, Robert Garza, Cleveland coach, praised Los Lunas.
“That’s a really, really good football team,” Garza said. “They are tough.”
Valencia Jaguars
Valencia took a long bus ride Saturday to Bloomfield (10-0,) and the Jaguars found out why the Bobcats are top ranked and undefeated.
Bloomfield rolled to a 50-0 victory in the 4A quarterfinals, a game halted at halftime because of the 50-point mercy rule.
LeDarrius Cage, VHS coach, said Bloomfield “played at a really high level. They hit a lot of big plays on us.”
The Jaguars repeatedly gave the Bobcats good field position.
“The offense didn’t sustain drives, so it kind of snowballed,” Cage said.
As for the big picture, Cage was pleased with the season.
“We doubled our wins from last year. Our program numbers increased a little bit.” Cage said as soon as the game ended. “I was already thinking about what we can do to be better next season, so this type of thing doesn’t happen again.”
Valencia will need to replace three outstanding linemen, the strength of the team according to Cage. Quarterback Aiden Harrington and receiver Cage Ash will also graduate, but Michael Storms III, second in 4A with more than 1,700 rushing yards, will return.
Cage said he will be looking for a way to reload instead of rebuild.
“I’m happy with the trajectory we’re on right now — taking a step forward from last year,” the coach said.
