Manzano runs away from Eldorado
Cleveland crushes West Mesa but loses star RB Lewis to right leg injury
This was as one-sided as a 17-point margin of victory gets.
Sixth-ranked Manzano’s starters accumulated a nearly six-touchdown lead before taking the rest of the game off as the Monarchs pummeled No. 7 Eldorado 47-30 on Thursday night at Wilson Stadium.
And now, Manzano turns its attention to another team in purple, the Clovis Wildcats.
The Monarchs (5-4 overall, 3-1 in District 2-6A) have clinched no worse than second place in their district. But if Clovis (4-5, 2-1 and idle this week) beats visiting La Cueva (8-0, 2-0 and taking on Sandia tonight) next week, Manzano will become 2-6A’s champion.
“We’re gonna be wearing purple Cs all week,” said Manzano senior wide receiver Jack Blankenship, who had two long touchdown receptions in Thursday’s victory.
The Monarchs scored TDs on three of the their four first-quarter drives, and away they went. Quarterback Dakota Powell had three scoring passes of more than 40 yards (the other went to Austin Erickson) in the first 15 minutes, Xavier Ivey-Saud and Austin Walker had touchdown runs, and, right before halftime, Ezekiel Fox returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown.
It was 40-7 Manzano at halftime and 47-7 in the third quarter.
The Eagles (5-4, 0-3) scored the final 23 points of the game and are going to have to beat Sandia (2-6, 0-2) next week to give themselves a shot at an at-large bid to the postseason.
— James Yodice
CLEVELAND 50, WEST MESA 0: At Nusenda Community Stadium, the major news to emerge was the injury suffered by junior tailback Dorian Lewis in the first quarter of the Storm’s District 1-6A rout of the Mustangs (1-8, 0-4 in 1-6A).
Lewis, 6A’s leading rusher with over 1,500 yards entering the game, was hurt on his fourth carry of the game and watched the second half on crutches, his right leg heavily taped.
Lewis had gained 151 yards on his first three carries, which included a 73-yard run for a TD on the Storm’s first offensive play.
Lewis was hurt while being tackled, obviously shaken up and was helped off the field.
Quarterback Jeff Davison threw two TD passes for Cleveland, covering 29 and 12 yards, to Braedin Ross, sandwiched around a 21-yard TD pass to Colten Madison, helping the unbeaten Storm (9-0, 4-0 in 1-6A) to a 34-0 lead by halftime.
Cleveland plays host to Rio Rancho next week.
— Gary Herron HOPE CHRISTIAN 55, CUBA 0: In Cuba, for the second straight week, Vince Quezada returned a punt for a TD and registered a pick-six as Class 3A’s top-ranked Huskies (9-0, 2-0) clinched the District 5/6-3A championship.
Quarterback Nick Henry and running back Blane Miller both ran for a pair of scores for the Huskies.
Hope coach Gary Beck said his team also learned Thursday that its foe next week, Laguna-Acoma, has forfeited the rest of its season. That means the Huskies will have at least a 21-day break before their state quarterfinal game, Nov. 16 or 17.