With the win, the Panthers improved to 7-2 on the season and clinched home-field advantage in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs.
The Montezuma-Cortez High School football team will play St. Mary’s in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs at Panthers Stadium on Friday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m.
St. Mary’s, a private school in Colorado Springs, enters the game with a 7-2 record.
While several factors contributed to M-CHS’s victory on Friday, none was more important than the ability of the Panthers offense to move the football using consistent running and timely passing. As a team, the Panthers rushed for 376 yards and passed for 37 yards.
“Offensively, we were awesome and hitting on all cylinders throwing the ball and running,” said M-CHS head coach Casey Coulter.
Keying the Panthers rushing attack was Randy Haley, who ran for 212 yards and scored four of his five rushing touchdowns in the first half.
After putting M-CHS ahead 7-0 with an 11-yard touchdown scamper with 8:03 in the first quarter, Haley came through with his longest run of the game, sprinting through a massive hole up the middle and racing into the end zone from 60 yards out to put the Panthers ahead 14-0.
“We had a motion with (Ryan Gurney) and (the hole) just opened up,” said Haley of the long run. “I just had to run straight. It was easy.”
With its defense holding strong throughout the second quarter, M-CHS continued to apply pressure, eventually moving ahead 20-0 after an 11-yard run by Haley.
“The defense, we came together as a team tonight, and we just dominated out there,” said M-CHS defensive lineman Kyle Kennell. “(Alamosa) had no chance against us.”
After M-CHS defensive back Noah Galyon intercepted a pass by Marco Garcia deep in Alamosa territory, Haley scored from 21 yards out on a read option play to put the Panthers ahead 28-0 at halftime.
“I knew that (Alamosa) passed a lot,” said Galyon, discussing the key interception. “I was hoping for a pick. (Garcia) threw to my side, I read his eyes and made the catch.”
Opening the second with renewed fire, Alamosa marched down and cut the M-CHS lead to 28-6 after Garcia rolled right and threw back across the field to Clayton Brubacher, who caught the ball and tumbled into the end zone for a 26-yard score.
M-CHS responded however, scoring on its subsequent possession after Ryan Gurney booted a 24-yard field goal.
M-CHS scored again with 8:46 left in the fourth quarter after Jonathan Walck rolled to his left and delivered a perfect pass to Gurney, who caught the ball along the left sideline and raced into the end zone. Walck ran for 141 yards and passed for 37 yards in the game.
After Alamosa cut the M-CHS lead to 38-12 on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Garcia to Will Parkins, the Panthers scored their final touchdown on a 12-yard touchdown run by Haley.
As M-CHS students poured onto the field and created a makeshift tunnel through which excited players exited the field, Walck discussed the significance of his team’s latest win.
“It’s just amazing for the school and the community,” said Walck. “It’s great to finally get to the playoffs again.”
M-CHS has not hosted a playoff game since 1994 and while playoff competition figures to be tough, Coulter expressed confidence in his team’s ability to perform.
“I knew that if our kids would play as hard as they could, they could be in this position,” Coulter said. “If they’re clicking on all cylinders, who knows how far they can go. The ball is in their court.”