Hope's balanced attack frustrates Rattlers

Hope Christian's balanced offense totaled almost 400 yards during a 44-0 district victory Friday over host Tucumcari, but the last few minutes may have provided a sliver of hope to the Rattlers' coaching staff and its struggling young players.

After the Rattlers recovered a fumble inside their 20-yard line with about three minutes left, Tucumcari freshman quarterback Nicholas Romero completed consecutive passes of 30 and 34 yards to Daymion Urioste and Luis Archuleta.

Those catches gave Tucumcari a first down on the Huskies' 15-yard line and a chance for the Rattlers to score their first touchdown since mid-September.

But because of a running clock after Hope Christian had amassed a 35-point lead and a lack of Tucumcari timeouts, the Rattlers could attempt only three passes before time expired.

Tucumcari coach Donnie Garcia told his team afterward those last three minutes showed what the players can do.

"If we execute, we can do stuff, we can play together as a team," he said. "But they've got to learn to believe in themselves. Other coaches tell us we'll be OK. I believe it, and my coaching staff believes it. I've just got to continue to convince them that's what it's going to take.

"They're working hard," Garcia added. "They're busting their rear ends the whole week. It's not that we're lacking (effort) in practice. We're fine in our conditioning. We just have to believe when we come on the field."

Romero threw two interceptions, but he also totaled 91 yards passing - by far the Rattlers' best offensive option. Tucumcari (0-7) amassed just 11 yards rushing, partly because of the disruptive defense of all-state lineman Jacob Baca.

Hope Christian (4-4-1 overall, 2-1 in district) was led by Brent Miller, who ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns in 15 carries and threw for another touchdown. Huskies quarterback Ronnie Gilletti competed 12 of 22 passes for 181 yards. His top target was Breylon Williams, with five receptions for 127 yards and three touchdowns.

Four turnovers and 80 yards in penalties blunted the Huskies' attack, however.

"We still had a couple of mistakes we need to clean up, but we played hard," Hope coach Fernando Salinas said.

The Huskies coach noted his team split back-to-back overtime games against New Mexico Military Institute and Dexter before traveling to Tucumcari.

"It's been tough, but the kids have stayed confident and kept working," Salinas said.

Williams' 49-yard catch gave Hope a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The Huskies probably should have scored more during the period, but they lost two fumbles - including one on first down at Tucumcari's 2-yard line.

The Huskies tallied four TDs in the second period to surge to a 32-0 lead at halftime.

Tucumcari's best chance for a score during the half came on two successive possessions.

Urioste returned a kickoff 57 yards inside the Huskies' 30. That drive ended on a turnover of downs when the Huskies stopped Antonio Gonzales on a fourth-and-2 rushing attempt.

Tucumcari gained another opportunity when the Huskies center's high snap to the punter enabled the Rattlers to tackle him at Hope's 24-yard line. A holding penalty moved back the Rattlers, and Romero either was pressured by the Huskies defense into scrambling for short gains or his throws were knocked down by the stiff wind.

"We're making little mistakes, and we need to fix those little mistakes," Garcia said. "Then we can actually play."

Hope Christian added one touchdown each in the third and fourth quarters for a 44-0 lead.

The Huskies seemed poised to score their 50th point, ending the game by the mercy rule, when they had a first down at Tucumcari's 3-yard line with about four minutes left.

But one play lost 7 yards, and Tucumcari's Joshua Pacheco next recovered a fumble at the 21.

That recovery set up Romero's two passes to Urioste and Archuleta for a first down at Hope's 15. With the running clock and Tucumcari with just one timeout, three straight passes to intended receiver Kameron Apodaca fell incomplete as time expired.

"At the end of the day, we've got to suck it up and let this one go," Garcia said. "We've got to come back and start back on Monday again. We'll push sleds, we'll be conditioning, and run our offense and defense. We've just got to execute."

Adan Diaz, a freshman wide receiver and free safety, left in the first half after suffering a neck injury against the Huskies.

Garcia said two junior linemen likely would return to the lineup for Tucumcari's next game, "which should help us a lot." The Rattlers play at 7 p.m. Friday at Dexter (4-4). The Demons earned a 22-14 victory over district foe NMMI on Friday.

After that, Tucumcari's final regular season game at Rattler Stadium will be against NMMI (4-5) at 7 p.m. Oct. 28.