Plenty at stake for Clovis, La Cueva

CLOVIS — Monday, the Clovis High football team was back at it, facing the start of a normal practice week after enjoying a bye this past weekend.

Hopefully for Clovis, the time to rest was helpful because the Wildcats (4-5, 2-1 District 2/5-6A) have an undefeated La Cueva team (9-0, 3-0) due into Leon Williams Stadium on Friday and the stakes are pretty high for both teams.

“They’re playing for a lot; we’re playing for a home playoff game,” Clovis head coach Cal Fullerton said after Monday’s practice. “So it’s going to be a big night Friday night.”

“Very big game,” Clovis sophomore quarterback Chance Harris said Monday. “If we win this, it’ll set the tone for the playoffs.”

The Wildcats would love that extra game at Leon Williams Stadium, would love to know that the only Week 11 trip they’d have to take is a walk from the locker room to the field.

La Cueva wants top-dog status in district, something that’s out of Clovis’ reach.

“We figured out the point spread and all that, and there’s no way that we can win district,” Fullerton said. “La Cueva will be playing for a district championship. If we beat La Cueva then, depending on the point spread, Manzano could end up being the district champion.”

A lot on the line for sure. Clovis will be the only one of the teams that had a two-week run-up to Friday’s game, thanks to that Week 10 bye. When they practiced on the grass field behind Clovis High School Monday afternoon, the Wildcats weren’t still recovering from a Friday-night game less than three days earlier. They were refreshed as they began the countdown to La Cueva.

“We gave them Monday (of last week) off, watched film on Monday, lifted on Monday, no practice,” Fullerton said. “And then practiced Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and then gave them Friday off, just lifted them on Friday and let them have the weekend off. So they’re rested and we were ready to go today (Monday), had a really good practice today.”

“I felt well-rested and felt good,” Harris said of coming out of the bye week.

Harris is preparing for his 10th consecutive start, in which he’ll face a La Cueva defense that has surrendered just 128 points in its nine games, 14.2 per game.

“They’re good, man,” Fullerton said. “Defensively, they’re sound. ... Aggressive up front. A great defensive end, great linebackers, a really good free safety. So, they’re tough defensively.”

“We have to make no mistakes,” Harris said, “and just really focus on what we’re doing.”

And then there’s a La Cueva offense that’s churned out 357 points (39.7 per game), led by senior quarterback Dylan Summer. In his eight starts this season, the 6’3”, 195-pound Summer has thrown for 1,702 yards, 14 TDs, with just four picks. Maxpreps has him ranked second among the state’s quarterbacks.

In La Cueva’s closest game this year, Summer passed for 262 yards and two scores while helping the Bears rally for a 24-23 win over Manzano.

Even Summer’s backup, junior Austin Smith, is solid. Getting a Week 3 start against Las Cruces, Smith passed for 246 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and had a 140.6 QB rating in the Bears’ 45-3 victory.

La Cueva can get it done on the ground, too, led by senior running back D’Andre Williams, who has already topped the 1,000-yard mark this season.

“They’ve got some really good skill guys,” Fullerton said. “They spread you out, try to get the ball in the middle of the field and hurt you down the middle of the field.”

That’s a lot to throw at Clovis’ defense, even a unit coming off a shutout against Eldorado. To stop those weapons, Fullerton thinks the best defense may be a good offense, as in controlling the ball and the clock.

“Offensively, we’re going to have to stay on the field,” Fullerton said, “keep the chains moving, keep our defense off the field.”

A fresher defense is a better defense, which is obviously a good thing. Thanks to that unit’s alertness and aggressiveness, and the offense playing its sharpest game of the year, Clovis won the turnover battle against Eldorado 5-0 and ultimately won the game 47-0.

“That’s something that we’ve been harping on for the whole season,” Fullerton said. “If we win the turnover battle we’re usually in the ballgame. So we can’t give them the ball and give them a short field to the end zone.

“So offensively, we’re just going to have to hold onto the football and move the chains and score when we’re in the red zone. And defensively, we’re going to have to come up with some big stops.”

If they do those things consistently, the Wildcats may be back at Leon Williams Stadium next week.

“The home crowd is a blessing,” Harris said. “It’s a lot of fun playing in front of them and for them.”