Cibola Sports

Pirates Succumb to Tough Sartan Defense
  • Cibola Sports
    Cibola Sports
  • Juaquine Rivera, 55, defensive end with recovered fumble on a seven-yard run last week. Franklin Romero - CC
    Juaquine Rivera, 55, defensive end with recovered fumble on a seven-yard run last week. Franklin Romero - CC
  • Quarter back Tristin Fernandez, 5, able to get a pass off just as the St. Pius defense closes in. The Pirates lost 407 in their first road game of the season last week. They are currently 1-1 and will face Dexter High School this Friday at home. The Demons came in at 2-0. Franklin Romero - CC
    Quarter back Tristin Fernandez, 5, able to get a pass off just as the St. Pius defense closes in. The Pirates lost 407 in their first road game of the season last week. They are currently 1-1 and will face Dexter High School this Friday at home. The Demons came in at 2-0. Franklin Romero - CC
  • Running back Andres Lazos,22, a senior, with a carry this past week against St. Pius defense. Lazos was held to 67 yards with 12 carries in that game. Franklin Romero - CC
    Running back Andres Lazos,22, a senior, with a carry this past week against St. Pius defense. Lazos was held to 67 yards with 12 carries in that game. Franklin Romero - CC
  • Quarterback DJ Chavez,8, throws under pressure this past week at Mile Stadium as the Pirates faced their former district rival, the St Pius Sartans. The Sartans won the contest 40-7. Franklin Romero - CC
    Quarterback DJ Chavez,8, throws under pressure this past week at Mile Stadium as the Pirates faced their former district rival, the St Pius Sartans. The Sartans won the contest 40-7. Franklin Romero - CC

    The Grants High School Pirates played their first road game last week at Milne Stadium in Albuquerque and it was a tough game for the Pirates as the St. Pius Sartans, a formal district rival, defeated the Pirates by a score of 40-7.

    “Offensively we just could not get going,” said GHS head football coach Steve Brown of last week’s game. “I feel our scheme is sound, but our execution was not good.”

    The Pirates were unable to score in the first half while St. Pius was able to score off the pass in the first and second quarter and the following extra points made the score at halftime 14-0.

    “I was very happy with our defense in the first half,” said Brown “Our goal was to stop the run, and we did that the entire game – their run was never a threat.” Brown added, “Our kids were so focused on not letting the run beat us that I think our guys were overcompensating for that and were not able to drop into coverage when they should have.”

    At 5:46 in the third quarter St. Pius scored their third touchdown making the score 21-0. The Pirates answered back at 4:16 with their own touchdown and were finally able to get rid of that goose egg in the third quarter off a Tristin Fernandez , 5,pass to Cardenio Chavez, 2, for the sole touchdown of the night for the Pirates. The following extra point was good making the score 21-7.

    In the fourth quarter the Sartans just dominated, scoring 19 unanswered points while holding the Pirates to zero points that quarter. Fernandez took a bruising and was substituted out in the third quarter allowing for back quarterback DJ Chavez to see some minutes.

    “Fernandez got a bit banged and a pretty good shoulder stinger,” said Brown of his quarter back substitution. “DJ is capable of running the offense – I’m happy to report Fernandez is good and will play this upcoming Friday.”

    There were some bright sides to the game as the Pirates were able to force four turnovers. St. Pius to their credit had two interceptions in that game.

    “We will spend this week touching up on the little things and focusing on what we do---is done perfectly,” said Brown Next up for the Pirates is Dexter High School this Friday at home. “Dexter is one of the best 3A teams in the state,” said Brown. “They are physical and strong and love to hit---we will have to match their intensity for us to have a chance.”