Summer leads Bears past Cougars
St. Pius wins its debut for new coach David Montoya; Sandia blanks Rio Grande
La Cueva High School’s football team got off to a rousing start to the 2017 season, belting Cibola 42-8 in a late-night finish Friday at Nusenda Community Stadium.
The contest, which didn’t begin until 8:30 p.m. ended well after 11.
Junior Dylan Summer, who only recently was named the starter, set La Cueva’s school record for passing yards in a game, although Bears coach Brandon Back did not have the exact total available.
“He was under a lot of pressure,” Back said, “but he was able to make some big throws.”
Summer threw four touchdown passes — three to Reece Wilkinson, who also had an 88-yard reception that did not result in a TD. Tristan Roswold had the other receiving touchdown for the Bears.
Derek Loidolt and D’Andre Williams added rushing touchdowns for La Cueva. LAS CRUCES 56, ELDORADO 34: At the Field of Dreams in Las Cruces, the Bulldawgs opened with a big offensive performance.
Las Cruces had 532 yards of total offense.
Running back Chase Chaloupek rushed for four touchdowns, and finished the night with five scores for Las Cruces.
Quarterback Payton Ball threw for 224 yards and two TDs for the Bulldawgs. He also rushed for 196 yards and scored twice.
Gabe Smith had a huge night for Eldorado at quarterback, rushing for more than 150 yards with two touchdowns, and also throwing a pair of TD passes.
SANDIA 37, RIO GRANDE 0: At Nusenda Community Stadium, D.J. Hayden rushed seven times for 107 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown, as the Matadors beat the Ravens.
Ky-dae Jones added 75 yards and an 18-yard rushing touchdown for Sandia, which led 20-0 at the half.
Marcus Gutierrez and Nate Riley also caught touchdown passes.
Rio Grande’s offense crossed midfield only twice, once as far as the Matadors’ 35. The Ravens have lost 28 straight games.
LOS LUNAS 60, AZTEC 52: In Los Lunas, the two Tigers scored touchdowns from the opening kickoff to the final whistle in a wild contest.
LLHS and AHS combined to for over 1,000 yards of total offense, and 80 total points in the first half, which ended with Los Lunas leading, 47-33.
Aztec senior quarterback Cody Smith scored seven of his team’s eight touchdowns, running for one score and throwing for six.
Los Lunas (1-0) was led by junior signal caller Nicholas Gaerlan, who scored four times. He threw three TD passes and ran for another, all in the second half. — Kenn Rodriguez ST. PIUS 41, HIGHLAND 8: At Milne
Stadium, sophomore quarterback Diego Pavia threw four touchdown passes as the Sartans won in David Montoya’s first game as head coach. VALENCIA 34, ALAMOGORDO
12: In Alamogordo, Andres Lucero scored on a short run to break an early tie, and also threw a first-half TD pass to Robbie Jaramillo as the Jaguars blew out the Tigers.
BELEN 28, BLOOMFIELD 6: The Eagles led 21-6 at halftime and held the Bobcats scoreless in the second half to claim the road win.
ELSEWHERE: Clovis won coach Cal Fullerton’s debut with the Wildcats, 33-24 over visiting Hobbs in a tight battle between longtime rivals in Clovis. … Moriarty collected an impressive road victory, 33-19 at West Las Vegas.