Coverage of Saturday’s Class 5A, 4A and 3A prep championship games

Huskies rally in 2nd half, upset top-seeded Socorro

SOCORRO — Hope Christian will need to create some space in its trophy case for its newest state championship team.

Ten years removed from the program’s inception, the second-seeded Huskies (11-2) rallied from a 12-point third-quarter deficit to capture the Class 3A football title, beating top-seeded Socorro 34-24 at Warriors Field on Saturday afternoon.

Known as a championship basketball school for decades, Huskies senior quarterback Collin Evans — a standout basketball player himself — said the school’s sports reputation is evolving.

“There was a lot of doubt coming in,” Evans said, who returned to football this year for the first time since seventh grade. “This win brings a football culture to Hope. We don’t have to be just a basketball school, it can be a football school, too.”

Socorro (11-2) dominated the second quarter, erasing a 12-7 first-quarter deficit with a pair of long touchdowns.

Michael McDaniel scored on a 43-yard TD run on the first play of the second quarter, and quarterback Payson Hicks connected with McDaniel on a 21-yard scoring toss giving the Warriors a 21-12 lead heading into halftime.

The Huskies’ offense promptly took a seat on the opening possession of the second half, running three plays for minus-1 yard. Socorro, meanwhile, moved the ball into scoring range with three first downs before settling for Josh Walsh’s 41-yard field.

With the lead now at 12 points at 24-12, little did Socorro know that the wheels would fall off for the offense.

Over their final five possessions, the Warriors turned it over four times, and turned the ball over on downs on the other possession.

“They kind of punched us in the mouth,” said Hope Christian running back Blaine Miller, who had three touchdowns in the victory. “We went into halftime, and we knew we had to pick up the speed, and were saying, ‘who wants it more?’ They were going to come back out and smack us again. Who’s going to come out and smack them harder?”

The answer to Miller’s query? Hope Christian.

That Huskies’ response took a few plays, though.

Headed toward another punt, Hope Christian called on a trick play to dig out of a 3rd-and-21 situation.

Evans pitched the ball to running back Jarod Knowles, who took off on a sweep to the right. Knowles stopped, and fired the ball back across to the left side to a wideopen Evans.

Evans gained 30 yards on the play — by far the Huskies’ most successful pass play of the day — giving the offense new life.

Three straight Socorro personal foul penalties propelled Hope Christian inside the Warriors 10, and Miller scored the third of three touchdowns on a 1-yard run.

“That throwback pass, yeah it really hurt us for sure,” said Socorro coach Damien Ocampo. “They did a good job.”

Socorro seemed to regroup on its next possession as Hicks’ 22-yard option keeper set up the host club near midfield.

That big play would precede the first of four turnovers as Hicks had the ball poked loose on the next play, and it was recovered by Hope’s Jaden Spencer.

After a first-down pass from Evans to Knowles netted no yards, the Huskies completely abandoned the passing game — and they didn’t need it.

Nate Garcia ripped off a 45-yard run to the Socorro 2 on the next play, and Evans scored the go-ahead touchdown with a twoyard keeper. With a 2-point conversion, the Huskies led 27-24.

The last 21 plays Hope Christian called were runs, and a 10-play, 53-yard drive ended on Knowles’ 11-yard scoring run with 4:29 left for the game’s final margin.

“This is just incredible, and I am at a loss for words,” said Hope Christian head coach Gary Beck. “This literally puts Hope Christian Academy football on the map, and it’s one of the greatest feelings ever.”

Hope’s only two losses this season came to 4A state finalists Bloomfield and Portales.