Rams open 4A playoff bid against St. Pius

PORTALES — Ranked second in Class 4A just a week ago, Portales High’s football team wasn’t necessarily expecting to be playing this weekend as the 12-team 4A playoffs kick off.

Friday’s 20-14 loss to Lovington at Greyhound Stadium not only prevented the Rams from winning the District 4-6/4A championship, it also dropped them to a No. 5 seed and thus means they have a first-round matchup this Friday.

The Rams (8-2) host No. 12 St. Pius (2-8) in a 7 p.m. kickoff. The winner advances to the quarterfinals next week against Lovington (4-6), which retained its No. 4 position and drew a first-round bye.

If it’s the Rams, the game would be played in Lovington, PHS coach Jaime Ramirez said.

“I thought Lovington would get the 3 (seed) and we might get the 4,” he said. “But that’s how it worked out.”

Portales already owns a 32-0 win over the Albuquerque-based Sartans on Sept. 17, but Ramirez said the score isn’t indicative of St. Pius’ ability.

The teams have played four common opponents. Portales is 3-1 in those games, losing only at Valley 48-47, while the Sartans are 0-4.

That said, they lost just 28-20 to Valley and 17-14 to a Valencia squad that the Rams needed a late goalline stand and subsequent 99-yard touchdown drive in the final minute to beat 34-28.

St. Pius’ wins are over Del Norte (48-8) and, last Thursday, Grants (35-0).

“They’re a good team,” he said. “That first game was a lot closer than the score. We’re expecting them to have a good game plan this week.

“We’re just focusing on making ourselves better.”

Senior quarterback Alejandro Sapien leads the Sartans on offense. He’s completed 56 percent of his passes this season, with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Ramirez said the top running back for St. Pius is senior Vicente Montoya, while Sapien’s favorite targets are seniors Jaskaran Sahl and Ethan Valencia and junior Moosie Neel.

Defensively, the Sartans have some strength up front with 6-foot-4 senior end Bryan Deller, senior tackle Adrian Sanchez and junior tackle Aidan Thomas.

The Rams had their chances in last week’s contest against the rival Wildcats, Ramirez acknowledged.

“We made a lot of mistakes,” he said. “We didn’t capitalize when we got into the red zone (inside Lovington’s 20).”

Ramirez said senior running back Emmanuel Diahn, who has been limited for several weeks by ankle problems, “is getting better day by day” and could be ready to become a major contributor again this week.

“We’re hoping he’ll be 100 percent by Friday,” Ramirez said.