Horsemen trample Jags;
St. Michael’s piles up 400 yards rushing in 60-8 blowout of Capital
The best sight a running back can see on a football field are wide-open spaces and grass in front of them.
On Saturday, the running backs for the St. Michael’s Horsemen drowned in a sea of open running lanes and chewed up a lot of grass before a Capital defender could touch them. The normally pass-happy Horsemen offense turned into a lawn mower against the Jaguars, devouring 400 yards on the ground in a most impressive rushing performance that led to a 60-8 win at Christian Brothers Athletic Complex.
It was the 22nd straight win by St. Michael’s (2-0) against city rivals Capital and Santa Fe High, a streak that started in 2009.
As impressive as the rushing total was, it was underscored by the means by which St. Michael’s got to 400. Horsemen ball carriers combined for 23 carries and had an average of 17.4 yards per rush. Thirteen of those totes resulted in double-figure gains, and 10 gained at least 20 yards.
St. Michael’s head coach Joey Fernandez said much of the credit went to the offensive line, but he also gave a nod to his receivers, who did their part in extending plays downfield with their blocking. That might have been more crucial because the Horsemen often ran toward the perimeter of the Capital defense, as opposed to between the tackles.
“Our receivers and backs who were on the outside were sustaining their blocks and just opening the holes so that we had a bit of room to run,” Fernandez said. “It’s a team effort, but it all started with the line and they came out to play.”
The first time the Horsemen ran the ball, senior Daymon Lujan darted left on a sweep, cut back to the right, broke through an arm tackle and raced away from the Capital defense for an 85-yard touchdown run and a 14-0 lead with 8:13 left in the opening quarter.
“The hole opened up, and in the open field, you make one man miss and you’re gone,” Lujan said.
Lujan led the Horsemen with 140 rushing yards on just four carries, and two went for touchdowns. Joining him was junior Marcus Leyba, who had 109 yards and a touchdown on six carries. In all, St. Michael’s ran for five touchdowns, and were complemented by Lucas Coriz’s 7-for-11 passing performance that netted 176 yards and two touchdowns. Coriz also had his hand in the running game, garnering six carries for 53 yards.
Coriz almost had a touchdown in the second quarter, but he lost the ball amid a pack of Jaguars defenders on a 25-yard run to the Capital 2-yard line. However, receiver Devin Flores swooped in to fall on the loose pigskin in the end zone for a 34-8 lead with 7:11 left in the opening half.
The final touchdown came not from a back, but a lineman — Jordan Bernal. The senior lined up at fullback and needed three tries before he scored the final touchdown on a 1-yard plunge to enact the 50-point mercy rule.
As much as St. Michael’s blocking was on point, Capital wilted in the midday sun as defenders struggled to get off of blocks and clog running lanes. Jaguars head coach Joaquin Garcia said a young, inexperienced team tried to keep its composure, but breakdowns in technique exacerbated its struggles to stop the run.
“It was one of those things that, no matter what you try to do, experience is always going to win that fight,” Garcia said. “I’m proud of our kids. They didn’t give up, but at the same time, we got to improve each week. It is just one of those things.”
A struggling offense didn’t help Capital’s plight, either. Last week, the Jaguars ran for more than 300 yards, while quarterback Julian Muñoz passed for 224 yards and three touchdowns in a 55-20 win over Grants.
Against St. Michael’s, the returns were much more diminishing. Capital (1-1) managed just 81 rushing yards on 29 carries, while Muñoz connected on just four of 16 passes for 25 yards and two interceptions. The first one came on Muñoz’s first throw, and Creed Chavez returned it 26 yards for a touchdown for the Horsemen to open the scoring 61 seconds into the game.
Garcia said it’s the process young teams must go through sometimes to get better, especially a team that has just two seniors on its roster.
“They’re gonna have to learn that we do different things for a reason,” Garcia said. “But it’s on me. I’m not going to put it on the kids because we’re installing a new offense and a new defense. At the end of the day as a head coach, I have to get them better. And we will.”
Fernandez and the Horsemen are looking to do the same. The fact they ran to so much daylight brokered by their blockers might mean the path to a Class 3A title could be a lot brighter.