Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Logan fell to defeat during its regular-season finale by an 8-6 score at district foe Tatum on Friday in an unusual defensive struggle.
The next day, the Longhorns (6-4) earned a sixth seed in the eight-man football playoffs and will play district rival and third-seeded Melrose (6-4) in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Friday at Melrose. The Buffaloes defeated the Longhorns 46-6 on Oct. 14.
The winner of that game faces the winner of second-seeded Fort Sumner-House (8-0) versus seventh-seeded Clayton (5-4) in the semifinal on Nov. 4 or 5. The higher seed hosts the game.
The championship will be on Nov. 12.
Lordsburg (8-0), averaging over 52 points per game, gained the No. 1 seed.
Tatum (5-4) scored its touchdown and two-point conversion in the second quarter on Friday. Logan countered with a 5-yard touchdown run by Christian Kotara in the third period but failed in its PAT attempt.
Logan coach Dwayne Roberts said he couldn’t recall an eight-man football game with a final score that low.
“It was a defensive game both ways,” he said. “They punted a bunch, and we punted a bunch. Can’t say there were tons of opportunities in the red zone for either of us. It was hard-nosed football.
“It was a great game. That was the best game I’ve ever been a part of as coach as a true football game — two teams that were pretty much equal.”
Logan finished fourth in rugged District 3 with a 1-3 record, losing three in a row.
Tatum, which won its third straight, finished third in the district with a 2-2 mark. Tatum is a fifth seed in the playoffs and will pay at fourth-seeded Magdalena on Friday.
Fort Sumner-House captured the district title Friday with a 34-24 victory over Melrose. Both teams were unbeaten in district play going into the game.
Looking ahead to the Melrose game, Roberts said his Longhorns have to take advantage of its chances this time around.
In its previous clash against the Buffaloes, Logan failed to score on six trips in the red zone.
“We’ve got to punch it in when we’re down there,” he said. “We’ve got to score when we get the opportunity.”
