The Robertson Cardinals will challenge the Raton Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Raton is hoping to do what Ruidoso couldn't on Friday: put an end to Robertson's winning streak, which now stands at four games. Robertson claimed a resounding 68-13 victory over Ruidoso at home. Fans of the Cardinals have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 20+ point.
A big part of the win came down to the chemistry between Jesse James Gonzalez and his top target George Smith. Gonzalez rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on only six carries while Smith gained 192 total yards and four touchdowns. Smith got the majority of those receiving yards when he pulled down a pass and took off for a gain of 75 yards. Diego Maez was another key player, picking up 61 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Robertson was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 254 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ruidoso only rushed for nine.
Robertson's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Maez.
Meanwhile, Raton strolled past Trinidad with points to spare last Friday, taking the game 47-30. Given the Tigers' advantage in MaxPreps' football rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 57th in New Mexico, while the Miners are ranked 201st in Colorado), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Raton's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Cannon Walton led the charge by rushing for 122 yards and two touchdowns on only seven carries, while also throwing for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Another player making a difference was Cael Walton, who rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown on only ten carries.
Robertson's victory was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-0. As for Raton, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
Friday's match might be decided in the trenches. Robertson has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 220.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Raton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 250. It's looking like Friday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything went Robertson's way against Raton in their previous meeting back in October of 2023 as Robertson made off with a 37-14 win. Does Robertson have another victory up their sleeve, or will Raton turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
