By Eric Butler
MaxPreps.com
A two-week layoff between games can sometimes lead to a little rustiness. Don't tell that to the quarterfinal losers in the Class 5A football playoff bracket, however.
Las Cruces, Eldorado, Clovis and Mayfield all made their first appearances in the postseason last weekend and typically overwhelmed opponents who had won opening-round games the week before.
The closest contest, by far, was Las Cruces' 42-33 victory over Manzano. The top-seeded Bulldawgs got big play after big play from quarterback Dante Caro and running back James Hall and twice responded with touchdowns in the fourth quarter after the Monarchs had cut the lead to only two points.
It was a rematch of a regular season game that the Bulldawgs easily won 62-21.
Up next for Las Cruces (11-0) is cross-town nemesis Mayfield, which is trying to make a run for a fourth-straight Class 5A state title.
The Trojans easily disposed of La Cueva 45-7 in Las Cruces on Friday night (Nov. 21) as quarterback Austin Hooker threw for a pair of touchdowns. Mayfield (9-2) will try to avenge a one-point loss to the Bulldawgs, during the last weekend of the regular season, when the two city squads hook up for a semifinal on Saturday at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
The other semi will have Clovis visiting Eldorado on Saturday – also a rematch of a regular season game in which Eldo made a late comeback to knock off the visiting Wildcats in Albuquerque.
Clovis (10-1), the third seed, beat Sandia 31-7 to advance.
Senior Stefan Mills rushed for 120 yards before halftime and scored on a pair of nine-yard runs as Clovis went up by a pair of touchdowns.
Mills was a sophomore two years ago when the 'Cats were upended at home by Sandia – in the same quarterfinal round.
"Some of us were on that 2006 team that lost," Mills said. "I was on kickoff duty that year, but mostly on the sidelines. But it still hurt to lose to a team we shouldn't have lost to."
Clovis' rush attack was initially stymied by a swarming Matadors defense, but the 'Cats had a pair of key third-down conversions via the pass during their first drive. Quarterback Josh Potocki found Blake Wiley for one completion and tight end Richie Chavez for another as the hosts moved from their own 13 in the first quarter.
A Potocki-to-Mills 44-yard strike then set up Mills first TD run.
"We couldn't really get them off the field on third down early. I thought our defense played well after the first couple of series," Sandia coach Kevin Barker said. "We just didn't sustain anything offensively."
Eldorado (11-0), meanwhile, justified its second-seed status by romping over Rio Rancho 34-0 on Saturday (Nov. 22). Eagles' quarterback Armin Day found senior receiver Ross Williams for a pair of scoring strikes as Eldorado marched to a commanding 21-0 lead before intermission.
In Class 4A, all four of the quarterfinals were lopsided. Top-seeded Goddard buried Piedra Vista 42-7 and will meet district rival and defending state champ Artesia, a 57-14 victor over Kirtland Central, in the semifinals. Aztec, the second seed, eased into the final four with a 42-8 rout of Los Alamos while Belen, the Tigers' next foe, beat back Silver 27-7.
In Class 3A, second-seeded Bloomfield survived a scare from the seventh seed Raton in winning 20-14 in the quarterfinals. The Bobcats move on to play at Portales this Saturday as the Rams coasted past Cobre 40-13.
Lovington, the top seed, similarly pasted Ruidoso 41-13 at home to advance. The Wildcats will vie with defending state champion St. Michael's, a 31-18 victor at Socorro, for the right to move into the championship.
Two classes decided their state champs for 2008 last weekend as Fort Sumner pummeled Clayton 48-0 and Melrose blasted Tatum 52-8 in the eight-man title contest.
In the latter contest, brothers Call and Clint Barnard collectively ran for 290 yards as the Buffaloes overpowered the Coyotes. The victory wrapped up a perfect 13-0 season for Melrose - the first undefeated football campaign for the school.
"They're very big, very physical – got a lot of seniors. We expected that that's what they were going to try to do," Tatum coach Gary Durham said.
"We've been working hard all year. We practiced with the lights on the last couple of weeks - staying late, working on stuff," said Melrose's Haden Huber, who scored a pair of touchdowns. "I think we deserved it."
