Rattlers fall to Texico

TEXICO — Max Villarreal scored three touchdowns on Friday night and the struggling Texico Wolverines got back on the winning track with a 53-0 blistering of visiting Tucumcari.

Texico (2-4) snapped a three-game losing streak with the rout, ending the game early in the final stanza on the NMAA’s 50-point mercy rule when Villarreal tallied from 30 yards out. He also ran in Texico’s first tally and later caught a long scoring pass from sophomore quarterback Cade Figg.

Texico led 33-0 at the quarter and 47-0 at halftime against the Rattlers (1-5), and played a lot of reserves the rest of the way.

Tucumcari coach Wayne Ferguson, reached by phone over the weekend, said his team didn’t play well in the first half.

“We kind of challenged them a bit in the second half and stepped up our play, and I thought we did,” he said. “We forced two straight punts from Texico, and we had a bit of success on offense after that. (Texico) didn’t even have a first down in the second half until they scored that last touchdown.”

Figg, who returned an interception 45 yards for a score in the opening stanza, also threw first-quarter TD passes to junior Jahvon Askew and senior Cade Collins.

Askew added a 50-yard touchdown run and Troy Calloway went in from 3 yards out in the second quarter for Texico.

Tucumcari has the week off and will play at Hope Christian in Albuquerque at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16. Hope Christian (4-3) defeated Pojoaque Valley 42-22 on Friday.

Quay County Sun senior writer Ron Warnick contributed to this report.