Cats trounce Alamo

[email protected]

The Clovis High defense got an early stop. Then the Wildcats steadily marched 83 yards for a score on their first possession, setting the tone.

link Staff photo: Joshua Lucero

Clovis High’s Xavier Cervantes, left, and Eli Rodriguez wrap up Alamogordo receiver Jamal Bateman after a short pass reception during the first half of Friday’s District 4-6A opener at Leon Williams Stadium. The Wildcats posted a 35-0 win over the Tigers.

It was all Cats, all the time on Friday night at Leon Williams Stadium. Clovis put together five scoring drives of 67 or more yards and rolled to a 35-0 win over Alamogordo in the District 4-6A opener for both teams.

Senior running back Juan San Juan rushed for 175 yards and a touchdown and sophomore Micah Gray added 81 yards and three scores as the Cats (3-5, 1-0) posted their second consecutive shutout.

“We knew we were going to have to control time of possession and keep their offense off the field, and the kids did a good job of that,” CHS coach Eric Roanhaus said. “I don’t know what the time of possession was, but it seemed like we had the ball all night.”

The Cats ran 65 plays from scrimmage and held the Tigers (5-3, 0-1) to just five net yards rushing, in part because of three sacks for minus-26 against sophomore quarterback Kyle Hooper — two by senior defensive end Estevan Romero.

“We worked hard the last two weeks,” senior linebacker Matt Lanier said. “We came out hot and went after them right out of the gate.”

The Cats forced a three-and-out following the opening kickoff. With no one back for Clovis, Hooper’s punt sailed 52 yards and was downed at the 17.

No matter. San Juan carried nine times on the 13-play drive before Gray capped it with a seven-yard TD run over right tackle late in the period.

San Juan and Gray each scored in the second period as the Clovis offensive line continued to punish the Tigers up front.

“They did a good job tonight,” said the diminutive San Juan, who now has four 100-yard games this year with a season-best 194 yards in an earlier loss to Atrisco Heritage. “They all came out and did the job.”

link Staff photo: Joshua Lucero

Clovis sophomore Micah Gray takes one into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of Friday’s District 4-6A opener at Leon Williams Stadium. Gray scored three TDs in the Cats’ 35-0 win.

Junior quarterback Daulton Hatley, who didn’t throw a pass until hitting tight end Roland Chavez on a 54-yard play early in the second quarter to set up a score, was an efficient 6-of-9 passing for 163 yards.

The only times the Cats didn’t score came on a kneel-down to end the first half and on a six-play drive which resulted in missed 35-yard field goal by junior Luke Bussen early in the third quarter. Bussen, though, was perfect on five PAT attempts.

“Our offense showed up tonight,” senior cornerback Antonio Hicks said. “Everybody was on the same page and when that happens, good things happen.”

Hooper finished 13-of-25 for 131 yards for the Tigers, but Alamo actually only ran the ball 11 times.

“They did a good job,” second-year Tigers coach Dale Hooper, Kyle’s father, said of the Cats. “They had a great game plan and kept our offense off the field.”