Bears score a flurry of firsts in homecoming blowout over Mccurdy Bobcats
Estancia’s football players were all smiles after their Sept. 24 blowout over the visiting Mccurdy Bobcats.
“We got what we needed to get done today,” Bears head coach Stewart Burnett told his players in their postgame huddle at midfield.
It was the Bears’ first victory since their season opener—and they did it with a flurry of firsts.
Estancia quarterback Ja’brae Boyer registered his first-ever five-touchdown performance, Adrian “AZ” Lucero returned his first-ever interception for a score, and freshman Lucas Mcmillan scored his first-ever TD as the Bears cruised to a 59-14 win in front of a goodsized homecoming crowd.
“We got off to a slow start, it was kinda flat,” Burnett said about the first few minutes of the matchup. “But I was happy our kids did what they needed to do to let the younger guys get in and get some work.”
After Daniel Chavez scored on a 2yard plunge on the Bears’ opening drive, Mccurdy responded immediately with a 79-yard TD run to take a brief 8-6 lead.
Then the Bears piled on 40 unanswered points and never looked back.
On Estancia’s next drive, Chavez scored his second touchdown of the game from the Mccurdy 17-yard line.
Boyer scored his first TD on the Bears’ following possession to give Estancia a 19-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. His second TD, a 33-yard run, made it 26-8 early in the second quarter.
On Mccurdy’s next drive, Lucero picked off a pass at midfield and scampered down the sideline to the end zone to give the Bears a 33-8 cushion. “You know, I saw the ball, it played itself out and that was it,” Lucero said. “It’s been a goal of mine since the beginning of the season, and you know, I completed it and this is the best feeling ever, best feeling ever.”
Lucero was also crowned Estancia’s Homecoming King before the game.
Boyer scored his third TD on a 21-yard run to put the Bears up 39-8 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Boyer took the ball around the left side and darted through Mccurdy’s defense for his fourth TD and a 46-8 lead.
With several Estancia backups in the game, Mccurdy scored its second touchdown late in the third quarter.
Seconds later, Boyer carved through a pack of Bobcats on his way to his fifth, and longest touchdown run of the game—a 67-yard trek—to make it 52-14.
It was Estancia’s first five-touchdown performance by a player since Andrew Lujan did it against Loving on Nov. 2, 2019.
Boyer racked up 239 yards rushing on 12 carries. “It’s the most rushing yards I’ve ever had in a game, the most touchdowns I’ve ever had in a game, it just felt different tonight, it was fun,” Boyer said.
Mcmillan rounded out the Bears’ scoring with a 38-yard run in the fourth quarter. “I just remember snapping the ball and thinking I gotta run fast,” he said. “Before like, July, I never played football, so, yeah, it’s pretty cool.”
“That kid’s gonna be a football player, this is all new to him, athletics is totally new to him,” Burnett said of Mcmillan, adding, “I’m thrilled with our younger guys, they did a phenomenal job.”
Before the game, Estancia senior Jayde Perea was crowned Homecoming Queen.