Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Tucumcari head coach Wayne Ferguson talks to his players during football practice Thursday before their district matchup at Dexter.
Tucumcari found itself on the road overwhelmed by a bigger, more experienced and state-ranked Dexter team 50-0 in a district football game shortened by the mercy rule.
The Rattlers (2-7 overall, 0-2 in district) managed just 63 yards of offense against the Demons (7-2, 2-0), ranked No. 3 in Class 3A by MaxPreps.com. The Demons also made five sacks, many which defused potential Tucumcari drives.
Dexter scored in a variety of ways - run plays, pass play, on defense and on special teams - before the game was halted midway through the fourth quarter.
Tucumcari coach Wayne Ferguson noted Dexter is blessed with two things difficult to overcome in prep football - ample senior leadership (14 seniors to Tucumcari's six) and a lot of size up front.
"Dexter's big," he said. "I'm gonna say their line probably averages 230 to 240 (pounds). They have a tight end who's 6-4 and about 260, 270 - something we haven't had in while. And they have speed - they're the defending state track champions."
Despite being winless in district play, Ferguson said the Rattlers are on the bubble of landing a playoff berth if they defeat New Mexico Military Institute (5-4, 0-2) at 7 p.m. Friday in the regular-season finale at Rattler Stadium.
"If we play like I think we're capable and win next week, we'll be in," Ferguson said of his team's playoff chances.
On Dexter's first possession, 225-pound fullback Jordan Marquez's 36-yard run set up a 5-yard touchdown run by Nick Cabos. Juan Fuentes kicked the first of seven PATs in the game for a 7-0 lead with less than three minutes expired.
The Demons next scored on a 20-yard touchdown run by Isaac Irogoyon, who would have three TDs in the game.
The Rattlers marched into Demons territory on their next possession, but Fuentes intercepted an Alijah Jimenez pass near the goal line and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead with 3:36 left in the first quarter. Ferguson said turnover was caused by a miscommunication with the intended receiver, leading to an uncontested pickoff by the defender.
Four straight running plays by Irogoyon lead to a 12-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter and a 28-0 Dexter lead.
Next, Marvin Johnson returned a punt 85 yards for a score for a 35-0 lead with 8:51 left in the half.
A 62-yard pass to Marquez gave Dexter a first down at Tucumcari's 3-yard line. Irogoyon scored on the next play for a 42-0 lead.
The second half proved to be more of a stalemate. Tucumcari made several good defensive plays, and its offense notched a few first downs.
"We proved in the second half that with maximum effort, we an compete with them," Ferguson said.
The Demons' final score of the night was set up when Tucumcari punter Rod Dunlap couldn't make a kick because of a high snap and was tackled at his team's 25-yard line. That led to a 14-yard touchdown by the Demons' Ricardo Contreras. Marquez caught a 2-point conversion pass to put the game on the 50-point threshold, ending the contest.
"They went to a formation we hadn't seen all game long," Ferguson said of the Demons' final score. "I was yelling from the sidelines on how to make the adjustments. The person that needed to hear it most didn't."
