4A Title: 'D' helps pave road to rout

PORTALES — Portales High's offense had a bit of a herky-jerky start in Saturday's Class 4A state championship game at Greyhound Stadium. In the meantime, the Rams' defense helped keep the game well in hand.

Portales held top-ranked Robertson to just seven first downs and 128 total yards and broke away from a halftime tie to blow out the Las Vegas-based Cardinals 43-14 in Saturday's Class 4A state championship at Greyhound Field.

With the win, the Rams (12-1) exorcised a bit of a demon against a program which has had the better of them for the most part in recent years. It was their first state title since taking the Class 3A crown in 2008.

"We had a great week of practice," Rams defensive coordinator Vic Lopez said. "I can't give our guys enough credit for the way they prepared."

If not for a turnover and an errant punt snap, the Rams might have pitched a shutout. Robertson (12-1) twice used short fields to get touchdowns from senior Marc Grano and get into halftime deadlocked 14-14.

But it was all Portales once play resumed.

"I expected it to be a tough game, especially knowing our history with them," said senior tackle-defensive end Jeremy Karngbaye, who helped lead the effort on both sides of the ball.

The Rams' ground attack compiled 331 yards in the game, with both senior running back Darion Ontiveros and senior quarterback Junior Ramirez rushing for nearly 200 yards and combining for five touchdowns. A mishandled field goal snap and the bad punt snap actually cost Portales 35 yards.

Karngbaye helped the Rams sack Robertson quarterback Arjay Ortiz four times, while Ontiveros (194 yards) and Ramirez (173) generally ran behind him on the offensive side.

"I've expected to get double-teamed (by opposing offensive lines) all year long," Karngbaye said. "I just trained myself to fight through the blocks."

Junior safety Marc Lovato, who got in as a running back late and scored Portales' final touchdown, said the ability of the defensive front to pretty much shut off the running game put the Rams right where they wanted to be in the contest.

"We made a lot of mistakes," he said of the first half. "It should've been a different score. I was upset, but I knew we'd come out and play like Rams."

Lopez, in his sixth year on the PHS staff and fifth as defensive coordinator, said his unit was simply ready to go.

"We weren't going to be denied today," he said. "We knew these guys have been a thorn in our side for years, but these guys have formed a brotherhood."

Needless to say, it left the Rams with a feeling of accomplishment.

"It feels great, like a dream," Lovato said. "I can't believe it came true."