GRANTS, N.M. - A memorable Pirate football season ended last week under the Friday night lights of Nusenda Community Stadium as the Pirates succumbed to the second ranked St. Pius Sartans 48-7.
Six different Sartans scored touchdowns chalking up 21 points in the first quarter and another 21 points in the second quarter to take a commanding lead that the Pirates were unable to overcome.
The Pirates were able to complete a touchdown with 10 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, senior quarterback DJ Chavez was able to hit Coudy Melonas for a touchdown with a short 8 yard pass to put the Pirates on the board. The following extra point was good.
Unfortunately for the Pirates the rest of the night ended with Pius adding 6 more points in the 3rd quarter and the game ended under a running clock.
“We knew that Pius was going to be tough– they always are,” said GHS head coach Steve Brown. “I’m proud of our kids for the season we put together.”
Brown was very proud of the fact that this is the first time in recent GHS history that a football team had made it to the playoffs 3 years in a row. “It’s quite an accomplishment,” said Brown.
“I told our seniors that because of the work they and the underclassment had put in they were able to extend their high school career half a season.”
Brown added that this group of seniors played in 5 playoff games—a significant accomplishment.
The Pirates ended the season with a 7-5, 4-3 record.
Brown wanted to add a final address to his team, their families and the community. Here is his end of season address: I sit down to reflect on this season, my heart is full—full of pride, gratitude, emotion, and a deep appreciation for every young man who put on that jersey and represented this program with honor. Also for our amazing managers who worked tirelessly to contribute to our success.
To my seniors… You are the heartbeat of this team. You are the ones who set the tone in the weight room, who held the standard in the locker room, who led when it was hard and spoke up when it mattered. You showed our younger guys what it means to compete, to sacrifice, to show up when life pushes back. You’ve been the foundation, the steady hands, the voices in the huddle that kept us together.
This was your team, and you carried it with pride.
The wins, the losses, the long nights, the early mornings—you gave this program everything you had. And I want you to know… you left it better than you found it. That is the mark of true leadership. That is the legacy that will live on long after the scoreboard is shut off and the lights go dark.
Football will end for all of us one day, but the lessons you learned—the toughness, the accountability, the brotherhood, the resilience—those stay with you for life. My hope is that when you look back years from now, you remember not just the plays, but the people… the moments… the feeling of standing shoulderto- shoulder with your brothers knowing you’d go to war for each other.
To my juniors, sophomores, and freshmen… Your time is now. You’ve seen what leadership looks like. You’ve learned from the seniors who poured into you. The torch has been passed— carry it with the same pride, the same passion, and the same relentless work ethic. Championships are built long before the season starts, and every rep, every step, every decision from here forward will define who you become.
This season didn’t end the way we dreamed, but it did end with something powerful: a team that never quit, never fractured, and never stopped fighting for each other. That is something to be proud of.
To the families, the staff, the community who supported these young men—thank you. You lifted us, believed in us, and stood by us through every high and low.
Players… I want each of you to know this: I am proud of you.
Not just for the way you played the game, but for the men you are becoming. Coaching you has been one of the greatest honors of my career.
Seniors, you will forever be part of this program.
Underclassmen, your story is still being written.
And as long as I’m blessed to lead this team, my commitment remains the same—I’ll fight for you, believe in you, and push you to be the best versions of yourselves on and off the field.
Thank you for a season filled with heart.
Thank you for giving me everything you had.
And thank you for reminding me, once again, why this game is so powerful.
Once a Pirate, always a Pirate.
- Coach Brown
Franklin Romero - CC