Friday night high school football started full force last Friday as the Grants High School Pirate Varsity Football Team played up a level and traveled to Santa Fe to take on the 5-A Capital Jaguars who handily defeated the Pirates by a score of 57-6.
“As a team, we were disappointed with the outcome of our Friday night’s game, we have high expectations for ourselves, we didn’t necessarily reach those expectations,” said Grants High School head football coach Brandon Hernandez.
It was all Jaguars early on as Capital Quarterback Julian Munoz on a fourth and eight ran it in for a touchdown and the extra point was good, putting the Jags up 7-0 early in the first quarter. Later in the first quarter, on a first and 10 with 14-yards, Munoz found Wide Receiver Javier Martinez at the one-yard line for a 14-yard touchdown pass to put the Jags up, 14-0 after the extra point with 6:28 in the first quarter. Pirate Manuel “Speedy” Gonzales, a junior, turned on the afterburners for the Pirates and ran a 95-yard kickoff return scoring a touchdown and putting up six points for the Pirates. “The first thing that jumps out, is Manny’s blazing speed, and his ability to tightrope it down the sideline,” said Hernandez of that eyecatching run. “We have to address that Manny (Gonzales) had four crucial blocks to the right side of the kickoff return—that effort and technique paid off.” No doubt Coach Hernandez would like to see more of that in his future games.
The extra point was no good, 14-6 was the score with six minutes left in the first quarter. In four possessions the Jags scored off a 4-yard run by Francisco Diaz to make the score 21-6 after the extra point. The Jags scored their fourth touchdown as senior Quarterback Julian Munoz scored from four yards out, 28-6.
The Pirate offense, led by a young freshman Quarterback Deandre “DJ” Chavez were unable to mount a measurable offense.
“He [Chavez] had to step up and play under the lights much sooner than we would’ve liked, but he was willing — we saw some good things come from DJ – he is a competitor and he will improve,” said Hernandez.
A botched high snap by the Pirates allowed Francisco Diaz to score a touchdown to make the score 34-6 after the extra point in the second quarter. The Jags added another seven points just before the half to make the halftime score, 42-6.
In the third quarter, the Jags scored a safety to make the score 44-6. With 4:20 left in the fourth quarter, Juan Munoz scored a touchdown with 11 minutes left to make the score 51-6. The final touchdown came with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter making the score 57-6 causing the mercy rule to take place ending the game at that point.
The Pirates will hit the road again this Friday in the I-40 rivalry game as they take on the Gallup Bengals (0-1) who lost to the Moriarty Pintos (1-0) last week by a score of 50-0.
Laguna-Acoma Hawks The Laguna-Acoma Hawks lost their season opener at home to the Hatch Valley Bears (1-0) by a score of 55-0 last Friday. They will face the Newcomb Skyhawks (0-- 0) in an away game this Friday, August 26.