Rams turn back Timberwolves

PORTALES — Wins have been hard to come by for the Portales High boys soccer team this season, so Saturday’s 3-2 triumph over East Mountain at the PHS pitch was a reason to celebrate.

Freshman midfielder Luis Ruelas gave the Rams a seemingly comfortable 3-1 lead with a goal in the 70th minute, only to see the Timberwolves counter just over a minute later. Portales, though, was able to hang on.

“We played better as a team (than in recent matches),” Rams coach Ruben Tellez said. “We kind of controlled the middle better and forced them to the outside.

“Hopefully, we’re going into (District 4-4A play) with some momentum.”

Senior midfielder Alejandro Fernandez had a goal and an assist for the Rams (2-6), the latter coming on the game’s first tally by freshman Gabriel Duncan in the seventh minute. Fernandez then put the Rams in front for good 2-1 with a goal off a penalty kick midway through the half.

PHS sophomore goalkeeper Matthew Garcia was credited with eight saves in the victory.

Portales was slated to begin district play on Tuesday at home against Lovington. The Rams visit Moriarty in a 5 p.m. non-district clash on Friday.

East Mountain 2, Portales girls 1 — In the opener of the doubleheader, the Lady Timberwolves (6-3-1) got first-half goals from Audra Vestal and Sierra Larson and made them stand up.

Senior Zoe Roy scored for Portales (6-5) on a direct kick early in the second stanza, but the Lady Rams were unable to get the equalizer in a relatively even match. East Mountain led in shots on goal 7-5 and had four corner kicks to two for PHS.

“All we can do is really take some lessons from this and go into (District 4-4A) play ready to play hard,” Lady Rams coach Bonnie Britton said. “We’re still developing skills. We have to be able to play at the level we’re capable of with consistency.”

Portales opened district play on Tuesday at Artesia. The Lady Rams have another district contest on tap against Lovington on Saturday.

PHS competes at Rio Rancho — Three Portales High runners competed on Saturday in the Rio Rancho Jamboree cross country meet.

Senior Michael Riess finished 22nd out of 151 runners in the boys 5K championship division, posting a time of 17 minutes, 51.50 seconds. The winner was Rio Rancho’s Dawson Gunn (16:22.15).

In the boys varsity division, comprised of 156 runners, Rams senior Evan Carbajal placed 35th in 19:58.00. Maxwell’s Tristan Pierce won the 5K event in 18:11.93.

Meantime, in the girls’ 5K junior varsity division, eighth-grader Aubrey McNeill was 23rd for the Lady Rams in 24:35.53. Los Alamos’ Rebecca Beaux claimed top honors at 22:24.56.

“It was a great experience for the kids, running a meet of that size,” PHS cross country coach Laura McNeill said. “We were there mostly for our kids to get an experience like that.”

Portales squads were to have competed on Thursday in the Ruidoso Invitational, but coach McNeill said her squad will instead be at the Artesia Invitational on Saturday.