Coyotes roll on road again, thump Belen

La Cueva, Centennial and Hope Christian improve to 6-0

BELEN — Roswell High School on Friday night completed a tough Valencia County double.

Two weeks after taking down Los Lunas on the road, the top-ranked Coyotes (4-1), Class 5A’s highest-scoring team, rode a defense that turned Belen away three times inside the 10 and pulled away in the second half to beat the sixth-ranked Eagles 35-8.

A first-quarter sequence proved to be a microcosm of the game.

On a fourth-and-1 from the Roswell 4, the Coyotes defense stuffed Belen running back Diego Casillas short of the first down.

Roswell went the other way, 96 yards for a scoring drive, capped by Ethan Valenzuela’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Jasia Reese.

The Eagles (3-3) were driving for a potential tying score before a drive stalled at the Roswell 8 in the second quarter. Cade Manzanares blocked a field goal attempt, and the Coyotes turned that into points as well, as Valenzuela threw an 8-yard TD pass to Dylan Tucker moments later.

Justin Carrasco added a 23-yard TD run on the opening drive of the third quarter for Roswell, and Valenzuela tossed a 45-yard TD pass to Roderick Sedillo for a 28-0 bulge.

Belen averted a shutout on Casillas’ fourth-quarter touchdown run.

ELDORADO 46, DEL NORTE 16: At Wilson Stadium, Ben West rushed for a pair of touchdowns, junior quarterback Nick Petty threw a pair of scoring passes and the fourthranked Eagles headed into their bye week with a convincing win over the Knights (1-5).

The defense for Eldorado registered two safeties. LA CUEVA 54, ALBUQUERQUE

HIGH 14: At Milne Stadium, Noah Woisin scored two first-half touchdowns, and the Bears rolled up a 33-0 lead by halftime as Class 6A’s second-ranked team improved to 6-0 in a win over the Bulldogs (2-3). ATRISCO HERITAGE 27, RIO GRANDE 8: At Nusenda Community Stadium, the Jaguars (1-4) extended their winning streak against the Ravens (1-5) to eight games. Carlos Salazar threw two touchdown

passes and ran for a third, and Julio Borroel had two interceptions for Atrisco Heritage. Oñate is 6A’s last winless team. HOPE CHRISTIAN 45, LOS ALAMOS 2: In Los Alamos, Lucas Martinez had a pair of interceptions for the Huskies (6-0), and brothers Jake and Ryan Cosper both scored touchdowns in the victory for Class 3A’s top-ranked team.

ALSO FRIDAY: No. 3 Centennial spotted visiting Carlsbad a 14-0 lead at the Field of Dreams, but the Hawks (6-0, 2-0 in 3-6A) rallied for a 35-27 victory that was secured when the Cavemen (2-3-1, 0-2) didn’t convert a Hail Mary pass on the final play. Marco Rodriguez scored three second-quarter TDs for the Hawks. … Class 5A’s No. 3-ranked Goddard (4-0-1) edged No. 2 Los Lunas 28-27 in overtime at the Wool Bowl in Roswell as the Tigers (4-2) were without senior quarterback Nick Gaerlan. … Aztec, ranked No. 9 in Class 4A, rallied in the second half and defeated visiting third-ranked St. Pius (2-3) 28-24. … Valencia (4-2) went on the road and kicked a field goal in OT to walk off Bloomfield 17-14.