Rams set to face Roswell on road

Before last week, tonight's Portales-Roswell High football game at the Wool Bowl probably had the look of a Coyotes rout.

Then PHS notched a 19-14 win over Hope Christian while the Coyotes were absorbing a 56-14 pounding at Moriarty.

Make no mistake, the Rams still appear to have a stiff challenge in front of them, but they'll go in feeling a little better about themselves.

First-year Rams coach Jaime Ramirez said that was the case anyway.

"We've had good practices for the last three weeks, even after the Dexter game (a 15-14 loss on Sept. 28, which preceded a bye week)," he said. "The kids are still working hard. I told them, 'As long as you continue to work hard, good things are going to happen.'"

Meantime, the Coyotes are looking for a big bounce-back game coming off the drubbing at the hands of the Pintos.

"We're hoping to rebound this week," coach Robert Arreola said. "They're (Rams) a young team, but they're a very competitive football team."

Arreola said the Coyotes (4-3), who rely on seniors Stephen Lucero at quarterback and David Nunez at running back to spark the offense, simply try to take whatever the defense gives them.

"We're want to run the ball, but we're going to take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves," Arreola said. "Defensively, we've got to do a better job with the fundamentals of tackling and flying to the ball."

Ramirez said the Coyotes are probably the second-best team his squad has faced behind only Muleshoe, which drubbed PHS 64-0 in the second game of the season. He noted Roswell High two-platoons at most positions.

"They're a pretty complete ballclub," Ramirez said.