Seven times Thymes: Sandia back scores 7 touchdowns in win over Atrisco
Aug. 19—Opening night of the 2022 prep football season at Wilson Stadium belonged to the Sandia Matadors. More specifically, it belonged to Malachi Thymes.
Sandia's senior tailback rushed for 269 yards and seven touchdowns, and Sandia pulled away from Atrisco Heritage in the second half for a sometimes entertaining, sometimes sloppy, sometimes chippy 59-37 victory on Thursday night.
The game took a staggering 3 hours and 14 minutes to complete. The only reason it didn't reach 100 combined points was becuase of six failed PATs.
The 5-foot-8, 180-pound Thymes, one of Class 6A's top backs, carried it 28 times and scored on two runs of 1 yard, one from 2 yards out, plus scores covering 7, 10, 14 and 56 yards.
"I didn't know I had that many yards," said Thymes. "The line was getting a good push, everyone was blocking and everyone was doing their assignments."
Thymes had three first-quarter scores and three in the fourth quarter, plus one in the third quarter.
"We're probably gonna live and die with him," Sandia coach Chad Adcox said. "He's our guy."
The game was still in doubt deep into the fourth quarter. Thymes' sixth touchdown turned a nine-point lead (46-37) into a 52-37 lead, and he added a 2-yard TD run with 67 seconds remaining for the final margin.
But this game was up in the air most of the way. To start with, a back-and-forth first half featured a number of momentum swings.
Atrisco kicked a field goal on the opening drive, but Sandia (Thymes) went 68 yards on two plays to take the lead, with Thymes scoring on a 56-yard run 2 1/2 minutes into the game. He added a 7-yard TD run on the Matadors' second drive for a 13-3 lead.
Marquise Renfro's 7-yard scoring run midway through the quarter cut the deficit to 13-10, but late in the first quarter, the Jaguars' special teams suffered a hiccup when a bad punt snap cost 28 yards in field position and staked Sandia with tremendous field position at the Atrisco Heritage 14.
Thymes scored on the next play for a 20-10 lead.
But the Jaguars answered right back. Renfro — who had a big night himself for the Jaguars — took a short pass and turned it into a 72-yard touchdown, and a crazy first quarter ended with Sandia leading 20-17. The Matadors led 26-23 at halftime.
The Matadors scored two touchdowns in the first six minutes of the third quarter for a 40-23 edge, including a TD pass from Dalen Moyer on the first offensive snap of the second half following a long kickoff return.
SANDIA 59, ATRISCO HERITAGE 37
Atrisco 17 6 6 8 — 37
Sandia 20 6 14 19 — 59
Scoring: AH, Diego Winnikoff 34 FG; S, Malachi Thymes 56 run (kick failed); S, Thymes 7 run (Cruz Rivera kick); AH, Marquise Renfro 7 run (Winnikoff kick); S, Thymes 14 run (Rivera kick); AH, Renfro 72 pass from Dean Marquez (Winnikoff kick); AH, Renfro 48 run (kick failed); S, Mekhi Aragon 34 pass from Dalen Moyer (kick failed); S, Greyson Frederich 20 pass from Moyer (Rivera kick); S, Thymes 10 run (Rivera kick); AH, Latavious Morris 7 pass from Marquez (kick failed); S, Thymes 1 run (kick failed); AH, Morris 16 pass from Marquez (Marquez pass to Manny Sedillo); S, Thymes 1 run (kick failed); S, Thymes 2 run (Rivera kick). Records: S 1-0; AH 0-1.
First downs: AH 18; S 22. Rushing: AH 25-80; S 43-341. Passing: AH 25-37-0---410; S 9-15-1—148. Total offense: AH 490; S 489. Punts-average: AH 5-27.4; S 4-29.8. Fumbles-lost: AH 2-2; S 2-2. Penalties-yards: AH 8-88; S 11-109.
