Football wrap: Melrose edges Gateway Christian

The third week of October is drawing to a close, and there were big local high school games throughout the region.

Friday

Melrose 38, Gateway Christian 36

MELROSE — The Buffaloes improved to 2-2 against Eight-man, District 3 opponents in memorable fashion.

Slipping past a highly-touted, state-recognized district opponent by two should be considered impressive indeed.

Playing its first home game since Sept. 21, Melrose hung on against Gateway and won for the second straight week. In doing so, the Buffaloes dealt the Warriors their first loss of the season, dropping them to 6-1 overall, 3-1 in district play.

“This is the biggest win by far (this season),” Melrose head coach Caleb King said.

Ultimately, it was a win preserved by Devon Bailey, who pounced on an onside kick attempt after Gateway had drawn to within two points with 24 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

“(Gateway) tried to kick it to the line,” King said, “but they kicked it too hard and he fell on top of it.”

An exciting end to an exciting game between two Eight-Man heavyweights who know each other well.

“Gateway’s kind of a rival,” King said. “We’ve had a history; we’ve played multiple state championships against each other.”

So the Buffaloes were zoned in for Friday’s game. “We didn’t have to pump ’em up,” King said. “We just had to get ’em to calm down and execute.”

The game was tied 20-all late in the second quarter. Melrose drove to the Gateway 15 but couldn’t punch it in.

The Buffaloes did, however, break the tie in the third quarter, scoring on their half-opening possession when Tristan Sena connected with Bailey on a 62-yard screen pass for a touchdown that put Melrose up 26-20.

Gateway answered to tie it, but the Buffs scored two consecutive touchdowns to build a 38-26 lead. Gateway, though, had pulled to within two by the final minute, setting up Bailey’s onside-kick heroics.

“It was quite the game. It was back and forth,” King said.

Bailey finished with two touchdowns, as did Sena.

Chazz McAllister stood out on defense, posting three sacks. He also snared some big catches on offense.

The Buffaloes (3-5 overall) will close out their regular season schedule this Friday at home against Mesilla Valley, with kickoff time scheduled for 7 p.m.

Farwell 54, Springlake Earth 12

EARTH, Texas — Farwell’s Texas 2A Region I District 2 schedule rolled on Friday night, and the Steers rolled on as well, plowing past Springlake Earth by 42.

As a result, the Steers improved to 2-0 in district play while winning their sixth straight overall since losing their season opener.

Yet interestingly, Farwell began in a hole. Springlake-Earth actually scored first, when Derrick Gover broke free for a 90-yard touchdown run. The extra point was no good, but Springlake-Earth had taken a 6-0 lead.

Before the first quarter was over, though, Farwell had drawn even on 25-yard touchdown run by Ricardo Ortega.

And in the second quarter, Farwell took over, scoring 28 unanswered points. A Jose Rodriguez pick-six less than two minutes into the period and Rodriguez’s extra point made it 13-6.

Three straight offensive touchdowns put Farwell way up by halftime. A 32-yard Leefe Actkinson touchdown pass to Patrick Pena, a 12-yard Ortega scoring run and a three-yard Guerrero Olmos touchdown run, each followed by Rodriguez extra points, gave the Steers a 34-6 halftime lead.

Springlake-Earth’s only second-half tally was a Brandon Casares pick-six in the third quarter. All the remaing scoring was done by Farwell — a 28-yard touchdown pass from Actkinson to Rodriguez, a 45-yard scoring run by Pena, and a 33-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Sotelo.

Farwell’s offense outgained Springlake-Earth’s 400-200.

The Steers had a balanced rushing attack, led by Pena’s 92 and Ortega’s 83.

Actkinson passed for 98 yards and the two scores, but was picked off twice.

Farwell will be back home this Friday, hosting Plains at 6 p.m. MDT.

Santa Rosa 48, Texico 0

SANTA ROSA — Though the Wolverines always battle hard, their outcome Friday night wasn’t all that surprising, considering the opponent.

Santa Rosa came in at 7-1, 1-0 in District 6/7-2A play.

Santa Rosa was in control by the first quarter’s end, already leading 21-0. Daniel Esquibel started it off for the Foxes just four minutes into the game, rushing 30 yards for a touchdowns. Naheim Chico’s extra point made it 7-0.

Santa Rosa then went for some trickery with an onside kick, recovered by Joaquin Romo at Texico’s 30, setting up the Foxes’ next touchdown — a 32-yard Stephen Sanchez run followed by Chico’s extra point.

Before the quarter was over, an 18-yard Darren Chavez touchdown run and another Chico point-after had Santa Rosa ahead 21-0.

By halftime, it was 34-0 Foxes and by the end of the third quarter, it was 48-0.

Texico absorbed its fifth straight loss after a 2-2 start, and dropped to 0-2 district. The Wolverines will conclude their regular season slate this Friday with a 7 p.m. home game against Clayton.

Mesilla Valley Christian School 55, Dora 38

LAS CRUCES — Injuries are taking their toll on Dora’s football team.

Friday, the depleted Coyotes visited Mesilla Valley Christian School and lost by 17.

Dora (5-4, 1-3) lost three starters in the first half of last week’s home game against Melrose, and ultimately lost 56-8. The Coyotes entered this past Friday’s game down two starters, and fell again.

The SonBlazers, meanwhile, picked up their first Eight-Man, District 3 victory of the season, improving to 1-3 in that category, 2-6 overall.

Dora concludes its regular-season schedule this Friday with a 7 p.m. home game against Tatum.

San Jon/Grady 45, Floyd 26

FLOYD — Floyd concluded its regular season Friday with the 19-point loss.

San Jon/Grady started taking control in the first quarter, leading 19-6 by that period’s end. Floyd made up a little ground by halftime, trailing 25-14 and drew even closer in the third quarter, narrowing its deficit to just 32-26.

The fourth quarter, though, belonged to San Jon/Grady, who outscored Floyd 13-0.

Floyd ended the regular season at 2-5 overall, 1-3 in Six-Man District 1. San Jon/Grady wrapped up its regular season by evening out its overall (4-4) and district records (2-2).