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For the St. Michael’s football team, Saturday is homecoming as underdog Bernaillo comes to Santa Fe for the afternoon District 2-4A contest

Horsemen ranked third in 4A and has won three of four

Commentary by Arnie Leshin

By ARNIE LESHIN, Santa Fe Today

Don’t take anything for granted. That’s the motto for St. Michael’s when Bernalillo pays a visit to the Christian Brothers Athletic Complex for Saturday afternoon’s District 2-4A football contest.

The Spartans have fallen on rough times, although they haven’t exactly enjoyed a success story on the gridiron. Since kicking off in 2004, they have only two winning seasons. They have lost 33 of their last 39 contests, including a 40-0 loss at home last season to St. Michael’s. They have had nine straight losing seasons since going 7-4 in 2009.

Now they meet up with a Horsemen team ranked No. 3 in 4A and coming off a bye week after slipping past previously unbeaten Portales, the defending state 4A champion, 21-20 at home.

And so head coach Joey Fernandez’ team has had time off while Bernalillo arrives following last week’s 46-0 defeat to undefeated Las Vegas Robertson at home.

It opened with a 33-0 setback to Gallup at home, followed up by rolling over visiting Navajo Prep, 41-6, fell 21-14 at home to Albuquerque Academy, then lost back-to-back on the road, to Bloomfield, 49-0, and then being blanked by the Cardinals.

The first four teams the Spartans played have a combined record of 4-20, and only Robertson (5-0) was a ranked team.

St. Michael’s’ lone loss was at Moriarty. It has turned back Santa Fe High, Capital and the Rams. In the impressive win over Portales, the Horsemen unleashed their running game after sticking to the air before that. If the Rams expected to face senior quarterback Antonio Gabaldon passing to senior Joey Fernandez, it was in for a surprise.

St. Michael’s instead blocked well enough to send senior Miguel Montoya, sophomore Derek Roybal, Fernandez, and even Gabaldon picking up surprising yards along the ground. It ran all game with the exception of some passes to keep Portales on its toes.

Plus the defense toughened up to keep the Rams from rushing the ball or even going to the air. Down 21-14 on its final drive, the Rams made their way to the end zone with only seconds remaining, but when going for a two-point conversion and the victory, they came up short by inches as the Horsemen stopped the run and started the celebration.

But just as underdog St. Michael’s came out on top, and Capital did the same last Friday night by stunning Moriarty, 14-7, with a goal line stand stopping the final run on fourth down, upsets can occur at any time, and although Bernalillo doesn’t figure to do so, the ball does take funny bounces.

But it’s homecoming and the home field advantage gives the Horsemen the upper hand whatever way the ball bounces.

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