A decade (or two) of dominance
Horsemen have won 11 straight against Jaguars, but gap is closing
In the wake of his team’s blowoutwin-that-really-wasn’t-for-half-thegame, Miguel Montoya said there’s not many better feelings than sending a clear and concise message to the denizens of Santa Fe.
He and the rest of the St. Michael’s football team had just rattled off 48 unanswered points after the Horsemen and Santa Fe High were scoreless four minutes into the second quarter. The end result was another first strike in the impromptu round robin that is those two and Capital in the annual battle for city bragging rights.
Winning is one thing, Montoya said. Winning big is another.
“We just wanted to show the city and the state what’s going to happen, where we’re going to be at,” he said. “I can see some people thinking maybe we ran it up but those things happen.”
The Horsemen (1-0) host Capital (0-1) in Round 2 of the City Different trifecta, making it the area’s marquee game in prep football this weekend. Game time is 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Christian Brothers Athletic Complex.
While, technically, it’s a rivalry that generates the standard fare for attention within city limits, the reality is that it has been dramatically one-sided since most of the current players were just entering grade school. St. Michael’s has won 11 straight against the Jaguars and 16 of the last 17 dating back to 2000.
Capital has trimmed the gap in recent years, staying within 13 points in 2014 and losing a two-point decision last year at home.
It falls in step with a similar period of dominance over the city’s other teams, Santa Fe High and Santa Fe Indian School. St. Michael’s has won nine straight and 12 of the last 13 against the Demons, and hasn’t lost to SFIS in 91 years.
Capital is coming off a 19-6 loss in Roswell against perennial Class 5A power Goddard, a loss that seems to signify that the Jaguars are set to rebound from last season’s disappointment of not making the state playoffs. They managed only five first downs and gave up over 401 yards of offense, most of which was on the ground.
In St. Michael’s, the Jaguars will face an offense that has the potential to be as balanced with the run and pass as it has been the last few years. That’s a testament to the team’s experienced line and the play of quarterback Antonio Gabaldon.
The senior’s timing with his receivers is still a work in progress as a number of his deep balls were thrown too far downfield in the 48-0 win at Santa Fe High. Of his eight incomplete passes, several were overthrown in the direction of wide-open receivers.
“It’s just a matter of us settling in and [Gabaldon] getting into a rhythm,” said St. Michael’s head coach Joey Fernandez. “I don’t think we’re going to change anything against these first two teams.”
As much as the city rivalry means to him, Fernandez said the bigger tests come immediately following this weekend as nondistrict tests with 4A powers Moriarty and Portales lie in wait.
For now, it’s all Jaguars until sunset Saturday.
“Being city champs means something,”
“We just wanted to show the city and the state what’s going to happen, where we’re going to be at. I can see some people thinking maybe we ran it up but those things happen.” Miguel Montoya, Horseman senior
Montoya said. “It’s something we talk about every year, and no one here wants to let that slip.”
GRID NOTES
Moon equilibrium: Jaguars head coach Bill Moon is the winningest coach in school history. He’s also painfully close to the break-even mark, having posted a career record of 73-74 in 15 seasons over two stints on the city’s south side.
He is 19-33 since returning to the program in 2012.
Good stats, no reward: According to St. Michael’s football historian Mike Pitel, no Horsemen opponent has been shut out while gaining more than 300 total yards in the last 15 years — until last week, that is.
Santa Fe High generated 327 yards yet came away empty despite two drives that stalled deep in the Horsemen red zone.
Early returns: Capital had just five first downs and 135 yards of total offense in its loss at Goddard. The Rockets forced six Capital punts and three Jaguars turnovers.
Despite the solid performance, it wasn’t enough to impress at least one former Capital player. A senior on last year’s team, Chross Jaramillo responded to The New Mexican’s tweet that said the 13-point loss was much better than a 61-7 blowout to the Rockets during Jaramillo’s senior season.
“A. Goddard lost almost every starter from last year,” his tweet began. “B. Capital has too much talent and speed to only score 6 points. JC and OC should be out.”
Northern debut: The seven teams in District 2-4A combined to go 4-3 on opening weekend, including wins by Las Vegas Robertson, Taos and SFIS in addition to St. Michael’s.
Taos had perhaps the most impressive win of all, hammering Hatch Valley, 55-14, at home. Hatch came into the season with big expectations but the Tigers’ senior-laden roster simply couldn’t be stopped.
District 2-5A’s Los Alamos and Espanola Valley were winners in Week 1. Española’s 14-point win at home over Clayton was the christening of the team’s new facility and it equalled the Sundevils’ win total from all of last year.
Early kick: Friday’s game at Ivan Head Stadium between Santa Fe High and visiting Santa Teresa kicks off at 6 p.m. Several schedules show the game starting at 7 p.m.