Capital runs all over Moriarty in blowout win
Jaguars running backs Muñoz, Padilla combine for 456 yards rushing, 6 TDs
In all honesty, we could gather around the campfire and talk at length about Capital’s defensive effort in Friday night’s shutout win over visiting Moriarty — but we won’t.
We could spend hours talking about the downfield blocks by Jaguars tight end Brian Gutierrez and the play of nose guards Roger Cruz and Miguel Valencia, each of whom wreaked havoc on Moriarty’s rushing attack — but we won’t.
What will be discussed is Capital’s incredible 1-2 punch of running backs Gio Muñoz and Luke Padilla. The pair combined for a staggering 456 yards rushing and six touchdowns on just 19 carries in the 41-0 nondistrict win over the Pintos.
Every one of their scoring runs came from at least 40 yards out with Padilla punching it in from 68, 70 and 78 yards. Muñoz had his from 40, 48 and 58.
Before the end of the first half, it was quickly turning into a game within the game. Who would be the first to hit the century mark in rushing? (It was Muñoz with 118 in the first half.) Who would get to 200 first? (Padilla, when he streaked down the sideline for his longest and last carry of the night.)
Along the way, Padilla became Capital’s all-time leading rusher, passing Jeff Gallegos. He also took time out of his postgame celebration to pay homage to his late grandfather, who passed away 10 months ago and would have been celebrating his birthday Friday.
“He would have been so excited,” Padilla said. “He loved watching me play, and the first thing he said to me would have been something positive. He was always like that.”
Padilla got Capital on the board first, less than three minutes into the game. The margin grew to
22-0 at the half and 35-0 midway through the third quarter when Muñoz broke free for a 58-yard run. It capped a 98-yard drive after the Jaguars defense stuffed Moriarty on fourth down at the 2.
As prolific as Capital was on offense — the Jaguars had 499 total yards, all but 32 of them on the ground — the defense was just as impressive.
The Pintos finished with 158 yards rushing, 100 of them coming from Cayden Dunn. Of those, 79 came in the second half when the outcome was no longer in doubt.
“Well, for all those people who say we should throw the ball and throw the bomb, we have another way to get to the offense pretty quickly,” Capital head coach Bill Moon said. “When you play defense the way our coaches had them playing tonight, those explosive plays sure look good. Makes you almost forget about the pass.”
The defense was given a collective game ball afterward, a reward well earned after a frustrating week following a no-contest weather cancellation last week at
St. Michael’s.
“We just wanted to come out here and play, to hit someone and get back at it,” Muñoz said. “We feel like we can be pretty good but, yeah, we needed a game like this.”
Capital can erase any doubts about its slow-ish start to the season in the weeks ahead. The next three games are stiff contests at home against Taos and Portales, then the district opener on the road against preseason 2/6-5A favorite Del Norte.
GAME NOTES
Capital’s Julian Sanchez moved from linebacker to defensive tackle, playing in the trenches alongside Cruz and Valencia. The trio were a big reason Moriarty’s single-wing running game had just two rushing attempts cover more than seven yards in the first half. … Moon lauded the play of inside linebackers Andres Alvarado and Sean Ulibarri, two players who crowded the box and never let the Pintos get cut-back runs inside. … The Jaguars are in a stretch of playing four of their final six games at home.