The Mancos Bluejays have a lot of ground to make up with playing experience.
It showed in the first half of Saturdays home opener against Sangre de Cristo (Mosca) at Mancos High School in 8-man football action.
A senior led Bluejays squad crushed the Thunderbirds 52-22 in Sangre de Cristo to begin last season. A senior led Thunderbirds team returned the favor this year, winning 50-20.
Theyre an older team than us. They have a lot of guys returning. In the first half, we just didnt read things well, Mancos coach Kyle Graff said. We didnt read screens, and we gave them some big plays.
Sangre de Cristo (1-0) got huge plays behind quarterback Lance Blades, as he threaded the Bluejays (0-1) defense in the air and on the ground to give his team a 30-6 halftime lead.
The Thunderbirds offense didnt let up, and scored on the first drive to open the third quarter. Blades hit J.J. Cooley for a 10-yard touchdown toss, and the 2-point conversion made the score 38-6.
However, Mancos responded with a big play. Bluejays senior quarterback Trey Gordenair rushed left and was hit as he threw a screen pass to junior tailback/linebacker Branson Mitchell. He got a good block and scampered 71 yards to the house, as the Mancos sideline erupted with cheers. Gordenair then ran in the 2-point conversion to make the score 38-14.
Sangre de Cristo scored a touchdown to up its lead to 44-14 early in the fourth quarter. Each team put in their junior varsity at just under seven minutes remaining. Mancos JV freshman quarterback/safety Nigel Henry got some quality minutes throwing the ball and recorded an interception. Henry led Mancos on its final touchdown drive that was capped off with a two-yard run by freshman running back Rudy Archuleta to cut the deficit to 44-20. The Thunderbirds added another touchdown at the 1:56 mark for the final margin.
In the second half, I did think we responded well, Graff said. The JV was really good that fourth quarter with all the young kids in. We get a couple games in and have enough practices, it will help our kids. Everybodys going to have to be patient with this team. Well be better late than we are early.
The experienced varsity players also feel with more playing time with the underclassmen, better results will come.
Were really young, and a lot of kids are inexperienced. Well work on it. Its just our first game, Mitchell said. Well definitely get better as the season goes. We got to get our line better. Thats what really hurt us.
Mancos will face a familiar foe on Saturday in Blanca when it takes on Sierra Grande. The Panthers upset Mancos in the first round of the 8-man playoffs last season.
We played Sierra Grande last year the first game, and we just killed them. They came back and beat us the last game, Graff said. Ill keep reminding our guys of how they did that. This is just a preseason (nonconference) game, but were up for the challenge.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.