Storm barely holds off ’Dogs
Teams combine for 1,173 totals yards
RIO RANCHO — It was 48 minutes of brilliant punching and exquisite counterpunching.
The Cleveland Storm simply wore the heavier — and speedier — gloves.
Cleveland and visiting Artesia put on a dazzling display of offensive football on Friday night, combining for 1,173 yards. This showdown went down to the final play, when the Bulldogs threw a pass through the back of the end zone, allowing the Storm to escape with a frenzied 56-49 victory.
“An amazing game,” said Cleveland quarterback Angelo Trujillo, who along with Artesia QB Taylor Null delivered the goods in one of the most entertaining matchups of the 2017 season.
Trujillo threw for 350 yards and five touchdowns.
Null countered with 408 yards and six touchdowns.
But it was Cleveland’s tailback, Isaac Torres — a player Storm coach Heath Ridenour said was the fastest running back the program has had since Romell Jordan — who delivered the final two blows against an Artesia defense that simply could not keep up.
Torres dashed 49 yards and 58 yards for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, allowing Cleveland (4-1) to maintain a lead over the Bulldogs (3-2), whose defense clearly looked to be gassed.
“That’s what we try to do,” said Torres. “Wear down the defense and in the fourth quarter capitalize on it.”
In those final two quarters, Torres was sensational. He was limited to 31 yards on 10 carries in the first half, but went off for 217 yards after halftime. He also was on the receiving end of two of Trujillo’s touchdown passes.
“He’s our silent assassin,” Ridenour said of Torres. “Both (Torres and Trujillo) killed it. That’s what you want out of your seniors this time of year.”
The game was tied four times in a frantic first half, which ended in a 28-all tie.
Cleveland won the third quarter 14-0, finally getting some pressure on Null and doing a better job in pass coverage. Null was just 3-of-9 for 12 yards in the third quarter, and also was intercepted by Chris Thomas.
“We needed two stops after halftime,” Ridenour said, “and we got two stops.”
Trujillo tossed his fourth and fifth TDs — one to Justin Ainsworth, the other to Jesse Gonzales on a 76-yarder — for a 42-28 lead through three quarters.
But Artesia was relentless. Null, on his fourth TD pass of the night to Chaney Hardt, got the Bulldogs within 56-49 with 2:33 to go. Cleveland was trying to run out the clock when it inexplicably fumbled the ball back to the Bulldogs with under a minute left.
Artesia quickly reached the Cleveland 37. On the last play, Null aired it out a little too far.
Both of the losses this season for Artesia were by the same score. The other was a Week 2 setback at home to Hobbs.