Rattlers' season ends

Four turnovers wrecked whatever chances for victory Tucumcari had against New Mexico Military Institute during a 43-14 district loss Friday in the host team's season finale at Rattler Stadium.

The Rattlers, who ended the year 2-8 overall and 0-3 in district play, held out hope a victory against the Colts (5-5, 1-2) would give them a berth in the Class 3A playoffs. They missed out on the 12-team field announced Saturday night.

NMMI made that an uphill battle by powering for 349 yards rushing. Jalil Brown rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries for the Colts. Charles Lewis added 96 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries.

The Rattlers made the task of keeping up with the Colts impossible by losing four fumbles, including two inside the red zone. Those turnovers helped NMMI stake a 35-7 lead by halftime.

"If you don't turn the ball over, it's a whole different ballgame," Tucumcari coach Wayne Ferguson said. "In the first half, they didn't stop us; we stopped ourselves. And we didn't do a good job stopping them, either."

Meanwhile, NMMI coach Randy Montoya said he was pleased with how his team closed the regular season."Lord willing, I think we bought ourselves another week, and we can keep rolling," he said.

The Colts indeed extended their season. They learned Saturday they earned a Class 3A playoff berth by securing a No. 10 seed to play Hatch Valley in the first round this week. The winner of that game plays No. 2 seed Dexter the following week.

Before Friday's game, Tucumcari honored its 24 fall-sports seniors - six in football, four in cross country, five in volleyball and nine in cheerleading - and their parents.

The night turned bittersweet for three senior football players, however.

- Wide receiver Rod Dunlap, the team's top receiver all season, made six pass receptions against NMMI but fumbled away three after the catch, including two inside the Colts' 10-yard line. He ended the night with 38 yards receiving.

- Running back Seth Martinez, the top ball carrier this season, finished the night with 99 yards rushing on 15 carries and returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown. He also lost a fumble during the first half and came off the field at least twice because of injuries.

- Kaleb Hayes, Tucumcari's best lineman, didn't play Friday because an earlier hip injury worsened just before the game. He didn't dress in uniform and walked with a limp along the sidelines. His loss made things harder for the Rattlers, Ferguson said.

"He wanted to play, but all he was going to do was get hurt," he said. "(NMMI) was attacking that side of the line of scrimmage. It didn't matter who I put out there or how many."

Ferguson thanked his seniors for their dedication after the game.

"It didn't end the way I'd hoped," he said. "Still, we try to teach them life lessons and let them take it from here."

Tucumcari marched for a first down inside NMMI territory on its first possession, but the drive stalled after the Colts sacked quarterback Alijah Jimenez for a loss. On third down, Jimenez tried to throw the ball away amid a pass rush but was spun so violently, he inadvertently threw it backwards. Tucumcari recovered the fumble, but it resulted in a 41-yard loss at its 14-yard line.

The subsequent punt gave NMMI good field position near midfield. On NMMI's first play, Brown ran for a 52-yard touchdown. The extra-point kick was good, giving the Colts a 7-0 lead.

With hard running by Martinez, Jonathan Clark and Robbie Hartmann, Rattlers again marched inside NMMI territory. Gerardo Villa-Vargas caught a 21-yard pass to give Tucumcari a first down at the Colts' 17. On a fourth-down play, Dunlap caught a pass for what would have been a first down inside the 5 but fumbled. NMMI recovered.

NMMI needed just five plays to score again. Set up by Brown's 48-yard run, Lewis scored in a 4-yard scamper with 3:13 left in the period for a 14-0 lead.

The Rattlers again drove deep inside the Colts territory. On first down from the 17-yard line, Dunlap caught a pass inside the 5 but fumbled it forward through the end zone, giving NMMI the ball on a touchback.

Not letting an opportunity go to waste, the Colts embarked on an eight play, 80-yard drive punctuated by Kasen Chester's 14-yard touchdown run. NMMI led 21-0 midway through the second quarter.

Martinez answered on the kickoff by breaking two tackles and returning it 82 yards for a touchdown. Jesus Ramos made the kick for a 21-7 game.

The Colts' next possession became a scoring drive that used 14 plays and 80 yards, giving them a 28-7 lead.

On Tucumcari's next drive, Martinez fumbled on what would have been a 16-yard gain near midfield. NMMI used just six plays to score after that. Lewis' 22-yard pass reception with 13 seconds left before halftime gave his team a 35-7 advantage.

On the Rattlers' first possession of the second half, Dunlap fumbled after a pass catch, and the Colts recovered at the Tucumcari 35. Thanks to the Rattlers' tougher defense in the second half, NMMI didn't take advantage of that turnover.

NMMI finished a nine-play drive early in the fourth quarter with Brown's 52-yard touchdown run for a 43-7 lead.

Set up by Martinez's 35-yard run, Tucumcari's Clark scored on a 5-yard scamper with 3:05 left. Ramos' kick made it 43-14.

Tucumcari had another chance to score after recovering an NMMI fumble at the Colts' 34. The Rattlers gained a first down at the 3-yard line but with less than 10 seconds left. After a timeout, a Jimenez pass fell complete. The Colt next sacked him for a 10-yard loss as time expired.