Prep football: Rams throttle Ruidoso 56-14

RUIDOSO — Friday, the Portales football team was on the road against Ruidoso. Kind of ironic, because the Rams will be spending much of the postseason at home if they keep playing the way they did in Friday’s game.

Portales may have taken the first major step toward a high playoff seed — which translates to more playoff football at Greyhound Stadium — by opening its District 3/4-4A schedule Friday with a 56-14 annihilation of host Ruidoso.

It could mean home cooking for Portales in November if things continue to go so smoothly.

“Yes, we want to make sure we do as well as we possibly can in district, and try to win our district,” Portales head coach Jaime Ramirez said.

Friday’s game was a good start. Jumping out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter, Ramirez’s Rams never looked back. By halftime they were up 34-7, and the rout was on.

“Our boys played great tonight,” Ramirez said.

Which was not terribly surprising to the Portales coach based on what he saw in the days leading up to the game.

“It was a great week of practice,” Ramirez said. “The boys were on point on everything that we were doing. That great week of practice gives you a great ballgame on Friday night.”

Portales’ first-quarter scoring barrage was started by Baylor Diaz, who found the end zone with a 15-yard run. Lester Andrade booted the extra point to make it 7-0.

A bit later in that period, quarterback Julian Urioste ran four yards for another score, and again Andrade kicked the extra point.

And still in the first, Kellan Hightower was on the receiving end of an 80-yard touchdown pass from Urioste. Andrade nailed his third straight point-after to give the Rams a commanding 21-0 lead.

Portales continued rolling in the second quarter, getting a 15-yard scoring pass from Urioste to Enrique Diaz, and though the extra point missed wide right, the Rams had scored 27 before Ruidoso had scored any.

The Warriors did finally get on the board with a touchdown in the second, but Portales struck again before halftime on a two-yard Urioste run, and with Andrade’s extra point, the Rams had constructed that daunting 34-7 advantage.

The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, with Portales’ coming on a 10-yard pass from Urioste to Enrique Diaz. Brandon Jimenez kicked the extra point this time, making it a 41-14 game heading into the fourth.

Portales did all the scoring in that final period. Baylor Diaz rushed for a one-yard touchdown, and when the extra-point snap was bobbled, Diaz wound up running the ball in again, following his touchdown with a two-point conversion and giving the Rams a 49-14 lead.

Romeo Gbassagee bolted for a 50-yard touchdown later in the fourth, and with another Jimenez extra point, the scoring was complete.

Portales had won its third straight. And the Rams’ offense had been dominant for the third straight week.

“I don’t know how many yards we had,” Ramirez said, “but just on the scores we had, that was a lot of yards of offense.”

The team also played well defensively thanks in part to a strong kicking game that repeatedly pinned Ruidoso deep in its own territory.

“I think after every time we scored, we kicked the ball in the end zone every time but once,” Ramirez said. “Great job by our special teams to do that.”

Aside from its 1-0 district record, Portales improved to 5-3 overall. Ruidoso, meanwhile, fell to 5-3 overall, 0-2 district.

The Rams’ district slate continues next Friday when they host Moriarty at Greyhound Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m.