Sanchez leads top-ranked Volcano Vista past Manzano

Hawks outgain Monarchs by 503 yards in homecoming at Community Stadium

Volcano Vista’s shutout streak ended. But the topranked prep football team in New Mexico rolls merrily along.

Senior quarterback Nathan Sanchez ran for two scores and threw for two more in the first half as Class 6A’s No. 1-ranked team belted Manzano 60-13 on a fulfilling homecoming Friday night at Nusenda Community Stadium.

The Hawks (4-0) outgained the Monarchs (1-3) 616-113.

“We played with fine effort, and the best thing about this team is, I don’t have to coach effort,” Volcano Vista coach Chad Wallin said.

This game was over by halftime, which ended with the Hawks in front 26-0. In the first 24 minutes, Volcano Vista had 319 total yards. Manzano had 11. Sanchez scored on runs of 8 and 13 yards, and also fired a 32-yard touchdown pass to Simon Gay on the final play of the first half. Sanchez was 11 of 14 for 151 yards in the opening two quarters.

The Hawks’ defense had back-to-back shutouts coming into Friday.

“We were trying to get the shutout for three in a row, but in the end, it’s OK,” said Volcano Vista cornerback Kaden Valdez, who had a 45-yard interception return for a score in the fourth quarter, and also rushed for a 38-yard TD on a jet sweep in the third quarter.

Volcano Vista scored on the game’s opening drive, but had 19 points in the second quarter. Sanchez also threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Longoria in that quarter.

“I knew in my head that I had to step up and make things happen,” said Sanchez, who continues to sub for the injured Diego Pavia, who went out with an ankle injury on opening night against La Cueva.

“I’m happy for Nathan, for him to have a game like that,” Wallin said. “The coaches are more comfortable as the weeks go on with what we can call for him.”

When Isaiah Hernandez of Manzano returned a Sanchez fumble 43 yards for a score early in the third quarter, those were the first points scored on Volcano Vista since the fourth quarter of Week 1.

But just moments after that play, which cut the Hawks’ lead at the time to 26-7, Sanchez threw a short pattern to Ivan Rodriguez, who broke a couple of tackles as he went for a 76-yard touchdown.

Volcano Vista rushed for 357 yards and Sanchez threw for an additional 259 yards.

NOTE: Wallin said that he expects Pavia to return in two weeks when the Hawks face Sandia. Volcano Vista has a bye next week.