Cruces triumphs over Volcano Vista in a thrilling 6A match; victories also registered by Cibola and Bernalillo.
Bernalillo and Las Cruces Secure Overtime Victories in High School Football
In an exciting week of high school football, two New Mexico teams, Bernalillo and Las Cruces, secured hard-fought victories in overtime.
John Cobos, coach of Bernalillo, expressed his admiration for his team, stating, "It's great to see these kids never stop fighting." The resilience of his team was on full display as they blocked a punt and a field-goal attempt in the final minute of the fourth quarter, leading to an 85-yard touchdown pass with 65 seconds left to tie the game 8-8. Highland converted the two-point attempt for an 8-2 lead, but Bernalillo refused to give up.
In overtime, Bernalillo intercepted a pass on fourth down, setting the stage for Ulysses Castro to throw a 10-yard fade route to Ivan Ruiz for a walkoff score, giving Bernalillo a 14-8 victory over Highland. The win marks Bernalillo's second victory of the season, both against 5A opponents in Class 4A.
Meanwhile, Las Cruces, currently undefeated in Class 6A with a record of 2-0, faced a tough challenge against Volcano Vista. The game was tied at 14 early in the second quarter, but Danny Amaro, who coach Mark Lopez described as "the full package" for their team, scored four touchdowns in the first half, helping Las Cruces defeat Volcano Vista 38-24. Amaro also scored four rushing touchdowns in their previous game against Mayfield.
Las Cruces will face Rio Rancho at home next Thursday, and they will take on No. 1 Cleveland the week after. Volcano Vista, now 1-1, will play Sandia a week from Saturday.
Elsewhere, Cibola rebounded from a tough loss in their previous game against Albuquerque High. Hayes Baum, quarterback for Cibola, had a strong game with about 100 yards rushing and four touchdowns, leading Cibola to score the final 28 points of their game against Sandia, winning 46-24.
These victories highlight the competitive spirit and determination shown by these teams, making for an exciting start to the high school football season in New Mexico.
