Rams turn back Jaguars

A cacophony of smashing pads and cheering fans flowed through Steven Loy Family Foundation Stadium on Friday night, as youngsters from Valencia High School and Portales High School duked it out in the fourth quarter of a meaningful district melee.

Then in the fourth quarter, up by one possession, PHS quarterback Tommy Lopez pump-faked a screen pass, found Kaidyn Cordova streaking up the sideline and ripped a deep ball into the pitch-black sky. Time froze. The cacophony snapped into silence.

"I see him wide open. I'm like, 'Okay, let me just get it out there. Don't try to overthrow it,'" Lopez said.

If the pass was completed, PHS would effectively seal the game, helping it climb back after last week's district-opening loss while offering necessary momentum to make the playoffs and avenge last year's loss in the state title game.

And if the pass wasn't completed – we'll never know, because the ball fell into Cordova's hands. And both time and sound – first a cannon, then clanging cowbells – returned. PHS went on to win 34-21.

"It was kind of a statement, you know? We deserve to be here," Lopez said afterward.

It was also a statement about how Lopez has guided PHS (3-3, 1-1 District 2-4A) through a difficult season marred by injuries. On Friday, he accumulated all five of the Rams' touchdowns (three passing, two rushing). In the Rams' previous home game – a 21-14 win over West Las Vegas High School – he totaled two rushing touchdowns and a pick-six.

The Rams must hope he can continue this when they hit the road to play Silver High School this week.

Not bad for a 5-foot-9 slot receiver who'd never played quarterback in his life prior to this season. But he was thrust into the role after injuries to star quarterback Paxton Culpepper and, later on, Dallas Lozano.

Then again, who better than Lopez? He said he's played in this offense since seventh grade and knows the playbook like the lyrics to his favorite song. Not to mention his proclivity for humility, leadership and passion for studying film.

Voice cloaked with pride, he talked at length about how stellar the scout team was this week.

"Credit to the freshmen that came in and they and they worked hard all week, just like we did," Lopez said.

Jaylon Newburn, PHS senior defensive end, said there was some nerves when Lopez was named the starter several weeks ago. Then came that first practice and Lopez just started "slinging the ball."

"He was mad accurate," Newburn recalled.

Friday night wasn't always so pretty.

PHS went down 14-7 in the second quarter after VHS quarterback Aidan Harrington snuck a keeper into the end zone.

But Lopez knotted the score up at 14 after finding Gideon Smith in the end zone before halftime.

In the third quarter, on a goal line keeper, Lopez slid through the offensive line like a quarter in a vending machine, to put PHS up 20-14.

Then, in the fourth quarter, came that long, time-nullifying throw down the sideline to make the score 27-14.

"The dagger," said Lopez, who scored again, this time a long run, putting PHS up 34-14.

While VHS scored again, the game was already well out of hand.

Following the game, PHS head coach Jaime Ramirez beamed with pride about how this "special group" of kids haven't let up despite the brutal hand they've been dealt.

"We played so great tonight. I was so proud of the boys. I just can't say enough," Ramirez said.

He added: "It would be easy for our boys to give up because of all the injuries, but they stuck together and they believed and said, 'We're gonna get it done with the guys that are here and they did a great job. Proud of them."