Demons in line for rare win
Sep. 15—Silver coach Jerome Ortiz brought up an interesting point when he said he was in favor of not taking the field against Santa Fe High last weekend if it meant there was a chance Mother Nature would step in and stop the game early.
As Robertson found out during its loss to Ruidoso, an extended weather delay can force the officials' hand and have the game declared a final if conditions are deemed too risky to continue. Falling behind in any circumstance means you're not just trailing the other team; you're also fighting against time as the weather gets worse.
Ortiz said he would rather have had last week's game against the Demons delayed from Friday into Saturday instead of playing it that night when lightning strikes caused multiple delays.
"You give up an early touchdown and get off to a slow start, you're going home with a loss the first time you get a lightning strike close to you," Ortiz said.
Robertson's loss hurt in three ways. First, it cost me a valuable win in last week's prep picks. My miserable 5-3-1 mark in Week 4 was a healthy dose of crow. Second, it finally knocked the Cardinals from the No. 1 spot in the weekly coaches' poll. The Redbirds held that perch since the preseason but dropped to No. 5 this week.
The third? Losing a head-to-head game, albeit abbreviated, to Ruidoso will come back to haunt Robertson come playoff time. If it comes down to determining seeds, it will obviously lean Ruidoso's way.
As for this weekend, three top-tier area teams are off. Taos, Robertson and new No. 1 in Class 3A, St. Michael's, are in their bye weeks while most everyone else is entering the final week or two of nondistrict games.
Santa Fe High (0-4) at Manzano (0-3), 11 a.m. Saturday
If anyone needs a hug it's these two teams. Consider it one giant sensitivity meeting between two squads just happy to play a game where someone will score. The Demons haven't moved a digit on the scoreboard since the first quarter of Week 1 while Manzano, yowza, hasn't scored since dirt was invented. Someone's going to win, that much we're sure of.
Prediction: Santa Fe 26, Manzano 18
Abq. Academy (3-1) at Capital (2-2), 7 p.m. Friday
A little birdie told me Chargers quarterback A.J. Rivera isn't quite the run/pass threat he was advertised to be by a rival coach during the preseason. He is, however, a true pass threat who averages almost 200 yards a game. This is the final non-6A team the Jaguars will play all season, but Academy is as good as most of the mid- to lower-tier teams in the big-school class. In no way is this an easy one.
Prediction: Abq. Academy 30, Capital 27
Santa Fe Indian School (1-2-1) at McCurdy (0-4), 1 p.m. Saturday
This is the calm before the District 2-3A storm for SFIS, a winner of 11/2 games in a row thanks to last week's scoreless tie against Pojoaque Valley. The Braves have the goods to climb over .500 before the start of district play, starting with a Saturday matinee against a Bobcats squad that has found the end zone just four times all season.
Prediction: Santa Fe Indian School 36, McCurdy 12
West Las Vegas (2-2) at Rio Grande (0-3), 7 p.m. Thursday
What in the name of Miguel Medina happened to the Dons last week? Their stunning loss to Española Valley put a serious dent in how they're perceived in what looked like a top-heavy 3A field. They'll get a chance to take out their frustrations on a Ravens team hadn't scored a single point until last week.
Prediction: West Las Vegas 48, Rio Grande 6
Pojoaque Valley (0-2-1) at Los Alamos (1-3), 7 p.m. Friday
If we're being honest, the Hilltoppers' defense has been a mess. Opponents have averaged nearly 43 points a game against them the last three weeks. It's a unit that was supposed to be the backbone of a state playoff contender. Instead it can't get off the field, making life miserable for an offense that has (if we're continuing to be honest) hasn't been very good, either. This game could be exactly what they needed.
Prediction: Los Alamos 32, Pojoaque 20
Española Valley (2-2) at Gallup (0-4), 7 p.m. Friday
The Sundevils are so far the biggest surprise of the season. Blown out in the first two weeks, they've climbed to .500 for the first time in five years and threatening to pick up a third win for the first time since 2018. Mark it down: It's going to happen. Gallup has been outscored 184-0 in four games and shown zero signs of getting better.
Prediction: Española Valley 37, Gallup 0
Raton (4-0) at Escalante (2-2), 7 p.m. Friday
All hail the Tigers, the new No. 2 team in the most recent 3A poll. They get a chance to show off their new title on the red turf, a place where the Lobos have already lost to one of Raton's district rivals, West Las Vegas. Rest assured, the Tigers will be one of the last team standing in 3A come late November.
Prediction: Raton 44, Escalante 16
