Texico rallies for win over Eunice

TEXICO – Senior Alex Fuentes ran for three touchdowns, including two in the final quarter, and top-ranked Texico erased a 21-point deficit to edge No. 2 Eunice 36-28 in District 3-2A on Friday night.

Down 21-0, the Wolverines (7-0, 2-0 district) got on the board late in the half on a 30-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Bennett Wahlen to junior receiver Maverick Hawkins.

Fuentes’ first TD, a 6-yard run, and his subsequent 2-point conversion run pulled Texico to 21-14 midway through the third segment. The Cardinals (5-2, 0-1) made it a two-score game with a touchdown pass on their next possession, but Texico drew within 28-22 on sophomore Jett Curtis’ 37-yard run and Fuentes’ 2PAT run with three minutes to go in the frame.

Fuentes tied it from a yard out a minute into the final canto, then got the game-winner with six minutes left on a 34-yard run. He added another conversion run for the final margin.

In other area games on Friday night:

Farwell 39, Bovina 0 – In the Texas Class 2A Division I District 1 opener for both teams at Farwell, senior quarterback Jonathan Armstrong ran for three touchdowns and threw for a pair as the Steers (3-4) cruised to the victory.

Armstrong scored on runs of 7 and 14 yards to give Farwell a 13-0 lead at the quarter, then added a 30-yard TD pass to junior Hudson Agee and a 7-yard TD run in the second period. Junior Daniel Silva scored on a fumble return in the second period, and Farwell led 33-0 at the intermission.

The Steers’ final TD came on a 6-yard pass from Armstrong to junior Javier Olmos in the third quarter.

Armstrong went 10-of-20 through the air for 100 yards, and added 87 yards on the ground on 17 rushes. Meantime, Farwell limited the Mustangs (2-4) to five first downs and 90 total yards.

Grady 58, Elida 37 – In 6-man District 1 at Grady, the Bronchos (7-1, 4-1 district) got three touchdowns each from senior Deakin Ragland and sophomore Hays Rush en route to a victory over the Tigers (5-3, 3-2).

Ragland caught TD passes of 22 and 9 yards from sophomore quarterback Zander Ciancio, and also tallied on a 5-yard run, while Rush scored on runs of 11, 52 and 40 yards.

Ciancio, who kicked five 2-point conversions, also threw a 4-yard scoring pass to sophomore Gavin West. The Bronchos’ other TD came on a 14-yard fumble return by sophomore Madden Flood.

Junior Cason Norman accounted for four of Elida’s six tallies, on runs of 8, 52, 25 and 7 yards. Other touchdowns came on a 1-yard run by senior Dylan Dobbins and a 4-yard run by senior Hardy Fraze.

Melrose 52, Mescalero 0 – At Melrose, senior quarterback Josh Roybal went 5-for-5 passing for 236 yards and five TDs and the top-ranked Buffaloes (8-0, 4-0 8-man District 3) trounced the Chiefs (3-4, 2-3). The game ended with about four minutes left in the third stanza on the 50-point mercy rule.

Roybal hit on scoring passes of 15 and 70 yards to his twin brother Josiah Roybal, 60 yards to junior Jaxon Odom, 45 yards to senior Brayden Eldridge and 46 yards to senior Nolan DeVaney, the latter ending the contest.

Other TDs came on runs of 51 yards by Odom and 30 yards by sophomore Spencer Eldridge. The Buffs went 5-of-6 on 2-point conversion tries, with no attempt after the last tally.

In another area tilt on Friday night, Floyd (1-5, 0-5 6-man I) dropped a 59-6 decision at Roy/Mosquero (5-2, 3-2). Freshman Brayden Parks threw a touchdown pass to sophomore Adan Nieto in the first quarter for the Broncos’ lone score.