Chargers shred Rattlers' defense

Albuquerque Academy’s passing game shredded Tucumcari’s defense during a 51-0 Chargers victory Saturday afternoon in a game that ended at halftime due to the mercy rule.

Chargers quarterback A.J. Rivera threw for four touchdown passes and ran for another score. Academy, coming off a blowout of Tohatchi the previous week that also ended at halftime, has outscored its opponents 101-0 so far this season.

Tucumcari coach Wayne Ferguson said his Rattlers (0-2) had trouble handling Academy’s air personnel.

“We were dominated both athletically and physically. They had big, fast wide receivers and exploited our young, not-so-fast secondary,” he said.

“I switched up defenses about halfway through the second quarter and had a bit more success slowing them down. But we’re so thin in the secondary that it’s hard to go into any nickel and dime packages and have the kids to put in there. But the young kids did help a little bit and made (Academy) ground it out. That was the only time we had any success when we did that.”

Ferguson said his team also showed little on offense.

“We had very little success — nothing, really, to talk about,” he said. “We had some opportunities passing the ball but missed them.

“It was just a rough day all around,” he added.

Ferguson indicated the Rattlers showed a lackluster effort Saturday, part of which probably was attributed to it being 91 degrees during the 2 p.m. kickoff.

“They’re used to playing on Saturdays, and our kids weren’t,” he said. “We acted like we didn’t want to be there, and it showed.”

Tucumcari’s next game is at Rattler Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday against Loving, which fell to 0-2 on the season after losing 60-6 to Lordsburg on Friday.