Monte Vista rushing attack overpowers Ignacio 

Capping each of their first six possessions with touchdowns, and beginning each half with run-based, time-consuming, morale-sapping series, Monte Vista cruised to a 42-7 home win Friday, Oct. 13, over Ignacio. 

“Penalties were killing us; those hurt a bit. But when you play a squad as big as these guys … there’s no comparison,” said IHS head coach Alfonso ‘Ponch’ Garcia. “And when you’ve got a ton of players like they do, they’ll run you to death.” 

“You know, we’d had Colorado Springs Christian-type games, and we knew that this would be a big running game,” said MVHS quarterback Kaden Madrid, a junior who tried fewer than a handful of passes on Senior Night at Harvey Sullivan Field. “We just knew that this was a tough game coming … and we were able to pound it down their throat and come out with a W.” 

And after Pirate junior Alex Marquez recovered Bobcat running back D.J. Hendren’s fumble on the very first play – Hendren had gained 50 yards from his own 20-yard line, but then lost the football – from scrimmage, Monte Vista introduced Ignacio to junior workhorse Jacob Pacheco. 

Carrying the ball nine times during MVHS’ resulting first drive, which started at their own 30 with 11:41 remaining in the first quarter, Pacheco plowed in from two yards out – a whopping 15 plays and 8:01 of clock later – for the 1A South Central contest’s first six points, and his first of four TDs during a punishing 30-carry, 266-yard effort. 

“It gets harder,” Pacheco said, about the physical demands of being constantly given the ball, “but that’s when you’ve got to persevere and push through. And we just need to keep playing well throughout the rest of the season, finish it strong.” 

Sophomore Jon Enderle then rushed for the two-point conversion, and Monte Vista’s 8-0 lead would hold into the second stanza, when Enderle scored from a yard out with 11:22 left until halftime. Pacheco’s two-point tote was successful, and the Pirates (5-2, 3-0 1A South Central) led 16-0. IHS’ next series ended with freshman Stephen Habel’s second punt, and after Marquez returned it 27 yards to MVHS’ 42, the home team marched the 58 yards in nine plays, with Madrid finding sophomore Azariah Hurtado from 13 yards out. Pacheco, however, was stopped on the conversion by Bobcat Rylan Maez – one of several highlights for the senior, playing very much under the weather. 

“I had eight kids sick on Monday, so … the kids, they stuck it out. They came and played, and they gave me what I asked of them,” said Garcia. “Rylan was sicker than a dog, Cruz (Martinez) was sicker than a dog, and there’s one at home – Gabe (Archuleta) never made it to the game. So even with kids being sick, they played their hearts out … and that’s all I ask.” 

Following Maez’s stop, senior Devante Montoya returned John-Jake Naranjo’s kickoff 19 yards to the Ignacio 36 with 4:48 left until halftime, and the ’Cats (3-4, 2-1 1A South Central) finally got on the scoreboard. A false-start penalty immediately pushed them back to the 31, but five plays – including a 42-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Zane Pontine to Montoya, tackled at the Pirate 4 – later, Pontine followed center Martinez into the end zone from a yard out. Junior Charlie Pargin’s point-after kick was good, bringing IHS back to 22-7 with 3:35 to go. 

“When you start moving the ball, you get that adrenalin going – like ‘We CAN do this,’ you know? And we had an opportunity to be successful,” Garcia said. “That’s what you want to capitalize on, and that drive we did.” 

Unfortunately, the Pirates weren’t in the least bit phased, and responded with an eight-play, 64-yard counterstrike polished off by a 28-yard Pacheco burst with 39.6 ticks left until intermission. Madrid’s two-point flip to Kevin Cisneros was caught, but Montoya stopped the junior short of the goal line to keep the margin an almost manageable 28-7. 

“I think in the beginning we came out too scared, and then we started to pick it up towards the end,” said Maez. “We started getting a little bit of momentum, but they just kept pulling away on us.” 

MVHS began the second half in Bobcat territory, after Hurtado returned Wade Dunbar’s kickoff 38 yards to the Ignacio 35. Set up on offense with 11:49 left in the third quarter, the Pirates embarked on plodding nine-play push, finished by a seven-yard Pacheco carry with 6:35 remaining. He then added the two-pointer, increasing the lead to 36-7. 

The ’Cats then went three-and-out, and Habel punted 26 yards. From the Monte Vista 43, Pacheco broke free for 52 yards on first down, before finally being stopped at the Ignacio 5. The Bobcats then appeared to swipe momentum when Maez first deflected, then intercepted a short Madrid pass, but IHS was hit with a pass-interference penalty and MVHS retained possession at the 3. Pacheco immediately took advantage, scoring with 3:29 left, but Madrid’s conversion carry was denied. 

“Jacob in the backfield, he did a great job tonight – and (even) with our starting center, Zach Gallegos, out,” noted Madrid. “We asked (senior Donavan) Neal to step up, and he did really great.” 

Ignacio’s ensuing drive began at their 31, immediately reached the 46 after a pass-interference call against Monte Vista, but then ended going in reverse, with the ball at the Bobcat 4 and Habel punting out of his end zone. Downed after 37 yards, the kick positioned the Pirates at the IHS 41, but on first down Maez again intercepted Madrid – and this time the pick would stick. 

“Coach teaches us every week — our assignments,” Maez said, “and I just saw him rolling out. I got back in the passing lane and picked it off. Did my assignment and got the ball.” 

But no points would come from the takeaway; after starting at their 37, the ’Cats managed to reach MVHS’ 15 as the third quarter expired, but on the first play of the fourth, Pontine lost control of Martinez’s snap and the Pirates recovered at the line of scrimmage. Monte Vista failed to profit the rest of the way, but neither would Ignacio – despite getting one final possession at their own 26 with 3:03 left, after Martinez blew up backup quarterback Kaden Mellott’s option pitch to Ismael Medina, which Pontine recovered.  

A pass-interference penalty against MVHS got the ’Cats near midfield, and a 14-yard Pontine run advanced IHS to Monte Vista’s 38 on the game’s final play. He would finish with 26 yards rushing on six carries, while sophomore Lincoln deKay managed 27 on seven and Hendren 52 on five. Through the air, Pontine completed five passes for 90 yards, with Montoya totaling four grabs for 82 yards and Maez one for eight. 

Ignacio will next host Centauri at 7 p.m. Friday, October 20, with the feared Falcons (5-2, 3-0) flocking in fresh off a 63-0 annihilation of Trinidad (0-7, 0-3) in La Jara.  

“We’ve got to practice hard this week and go hard on Senior Night,” Maez said. “I’m looking forward to it.” 

“Centauri, they’re tougher than nails,” acknowledged Garcia, “so hopefully we can show up to play. As long as we can compete … give ourselves a chance, we’re going to be okay.” 

Monte Vista, meanwhile, will travel to Center (0-7, 0-3) to face a Vikings squad edged 14-12 at Del Norte. 

“We need to work on both sides, offense and defense. Fix our flaws and we’ll … win some more games,” said Pacheco. 

“We’ve just got to stay focused; you know?” Madrid (2-of-4 passing, 28 yards; 6-20 rushing) said. “We’ve got Center, so we’ll play it by ear and see what happens.”