Santa Fe High -- with key starters returning from injury -- gets first victory

Sep. 18—ALBUQUERQUE — Good news — finally.

The first four weeks of the season for the Santa Fe High Demons was riddled with almost every imaginable piece of bad news a football team could take.

From a rash of injuries, to an almost inoperable offense, to illness that affected players and coaches, Murphy's Law was in effect.

There are six weeks left in the regular season to see if the Demons have turned over a new leaf, but they did a lot right Saturday afternoon in a dominating 38-6 victory over Albuquerque Manzano at F.M. Wilson Stadium. Buoyed by the return of three missing offensive linemen and tailback Alex Mora, Santa Fe High showed life in the win, moving to 1-4.

The win was the first in Albuquerque for the program since beating Albuquerque High, 49-13, on Sept. 8, 2012. It was the first win in the Duke City against a team other than Albuquerque High since beating Valley in the final game of the 2007 season. It also marked the Demons' sixth win in Albuquerque in 20 years — and three of them came in 2003.

None of that mattered to the Demons, though. They were almost whole, and they showed what they can do when the pieces fit their schemes.

"We came together — just one heart, one team," said Andrew Allen, who went from competing for the starting quarterback spot to running back before returning to quarterback.

"Everything molded today, and we got our players and back, and we got that monkey off our backs."

Perhaps the biggest return was Mora, who hadn't played since suffering a right shoulder injury during a 50-0 loss to Roswell on Aug. 26. The junior proceeded to run roughshod over the Monarchs' defense, recording 141 yards on 17 carries with three touchdowns.

Mora said he is not 100 percent but he couldn't stand what was happening.

"It hurt me [more] watching them than it did them losing," Mora said. "I was just sitting there, not able to do anything to help them."

Some of the offensive ineffectiveness was the result of an offensive line that was missing three starters, including sophomore guard Cruz Graham. The win marked the first time the starting line played together since Week 1.

"It felt really good having that starting offensive line like we did for West Mesa," Graham said. "We just have a togetherness that clicks when we're healthy."

A healthy line led to a healthy stat line. The Demons had 404 yards of total offense, which was over four times what they averaged through the first four games (81.3 yards per game), and 227 yards came via the ground.

Mora's return also signaled Andrew Allen's return to the quarterback position that he lost to now-injured starter Michael Abeyta. Allen proceeded to connect on 12 of 23 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown. He added 64 yards on the ground and scored on a 4-yard touchdown in the third quarter for a 35-6 lead at the 3-minute mark.

Demons head coach Andrew Martinez said Allen had been a true leader on the team, playing wherever he was needed.

"He is the ultimate team player," Martinez said. "I've rarely seen anybody selflessly not question it. It's just, 'Yes, sir.' That's what you get out of that young man."

With the offense clicking, it took tremendous pressure off of a defense that spent the bulk of the first four games on the field. Santa Fe High held Manzano (0-4) to 84 yards and forced four first-half turnovers that helped produce a 28-6 lead at the half. The turnovers were the first the unit produced all season.

The Demons didn't waste time pouncing on the hapless Monarchs, who had been outscored 140-0 coming into the game. Linebacker Tomas Martinez stripped the ball from Manzano quarterback Eddie Romero on the first play from scrimmage and recovered it at the Manzano 29-yard line.

It took Santa Fe High two plays to hit paydirt, as Mora chugged in over the left side from 28 yards out for a touchdown and the team's first lead of the season just 24 seconds into the game.

The Demons scored on four of their first five possessions, and it could have been 5-for-5, if not for Jazzi Gonzalez's missed field goal from 29 yards.

Allen connected with Josh Gallegos for a 5-yard touchdown on the team's second possession. Mora added scoring runs of 10 and 1 yards, with the latter making it 28-6 with 2:53 left in the first half. That touchdown capped a 65-yard drive in response to the Monarchs reaching the scoreboard for the first time this season on a Romero-to-Jaylen Lakes 3-yard touchdown pass.

As great as it was to see all the pieces fit, Martinez said it was equally important the team enters its bye week with its best health since the start of the season. Fellow running back Julian Opetaia, who aggravated a knee injury on his lone play of the game, was the only injury casualty on the day.

Martinez said he hopes the few players still out with injuries will be ready to go for the Sept. 30 game against defending Class 4A champion Lovington. That is the precursor to the District 5-6A schedule, which begins with a road trip to Clovis on Oct. 7.

"This win came at the right time, with an off week," Martinez said. "I'm just proud of them. They stuck together, and they quieted the noise. And they've been strong about it."

A week ago, the discussion was about surviving the first half of the season. One game did a lot to turn the narrative in the other direction.

There is hope more good news is just around the corner.