Cleveland routs visiting Oñate in another season opener

28-point 2nd quarter turns game into rout

RIO RANCHO — It sure looked like a season opener for the Cleveland Storm.

For less than one quarter, that is. Then the Storm looked like it was about ready for a title game.

After stumbling Friday through almost 12 minutes — during which it had more penalties (six) than first downs (one) and was fortunate to be tied with visiting Las Cruces Oñate — the Storm showed why it should again be a Class 6A power with a 52-22 blowout of the Knights.

“I don’t think we had a lot of penalties. I think we played the game of football,” said Cleveland coach Heath Ridenour, when asked about the early flags. “I thought we played really well. I was pleased with it.”

It actually took only 1:35 into the season for the Storm to score, but that came on special teams. On the game’s opening possession, Knights quarterback Aaron Sanchez led his team to one first down, but on fourth-and-5 at midfield had his punt blocked by Dominic Thompson. Dion Hunter scooped it up and went untouched for a 30-yard TD.

Thompson was all over the field in the first quarter, also making a sack and minutes later a fumble recovery.

The Knights, however, tied it 7-7 on a 12-play, 85-yard drive. Sanchez scored on a 3-yard run with 1:16 left in the quarter.

Oñate had a golden opportunity to take the lead moments later when Cleveland quarterback Angelo Trujillo overthrew a short pass that hit a Knight cornerback in full stride and nobody in front of him. But the would-be interception was dropped.

Two plays later, Trujillo hit Justin Ainsworth on a 53-yard bomb, and two plays after that found Chris Thomas for a 17-yard TD pass with 10 seconds left in the first period. Oñate’s upset hopes were gone. Running back Isaac Torres, who rushed for 97 yards on 10 carries, had two of his three short touchdown runs in the second quarter. Colton Madison added a 6-yard scoring run.

“It really feels good, but we have a long way to go,” said Trujillo, who went 14-of-19 passing for 235 yards. “This is just game one.”