SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
They must have retired his number because you won’t see a number 4 in Robertson’s lineup Saturday afternoon.
That speaks for the four years that Arjay Ortiz excelled on the football field for the Cardinals, not to forget his role as the school’s best basketball player and state track and field champion.
That’s good news for St. Michael’s homecoming game that kicks off at 1:30 against the fierce rival from Las Vegas. For the last three seasons, all the 6-foot-2, 160-pound Ortiz did was throw the ball, run the ball, and just be a nuisance for the Horsemen.
He was not only talented, but deceptive. He would fake to run or pass one way, and then leave the defenders behind and dash the other way for a touchdown. It was that or just finding a receiver to take the ball into the end zone
In the 2016 game at St. Michael’s Athletic Complex, it was a tight, exciting contest until he sped twice in the direction of the St. Michael’s sideline and ran for back-to-back touchdowns in the 34-25 win.
In basketball, he bust his butt last season in a tense game before a full house at St. Michael’s. But there were Horsemen fans, mostly freshman, who spent their time chanting nasty things in Ortiz’ direction. No doubt this was immature and dumb, and after the final whistle Ortiz headed for the stands but was stopped by teammates before reaching those that mouthed off.
Then there was track and field last season. St. Michael’s senior Esteban Alcaraz was longing for a state championship, and his best bet was in the finals of the 400 meter hurdles.
But Ortiz was in the race and he took off like he was racing for a TD. Alcaraz could never catch up, and even down the stretch, as much as he tried, he finished second behind Ortiz.
Now he’s a freshman at Northern New Mexico in his hometown of Las Vegas. He had other offers but wanted to stay in Las Vegas.
Now he might even show up at Saturday’s District 2-3A tussle, but St. Michael’s is relieved that he won’t be wearing the red and white uniformE
The last time he was at St. Michael’s was when he won the hurdles at last season’s inaugural Horsemen Invitational. He was by himself later, waiting for his medal and probably thinking of the fun and memories he had on the football field.
Since the year 2000, he was probably Robertson’s finest football player as that was when the Cardinals and Horsemen officially began their fierce rivalry.
How tight has it been? Robertson has won 10 times, St. Michael’s 9, and that includes 2013 when the Cards were walloped 50-0 versus the Horsemen in the regular season, then avenged that by tripping up St. Michael’s, 22-13, in the state tournament quarterfinals.
Neither team has won more than three in a row. Robertson has won three times via shutouts and St. Michael’s twice. The Horsemen have run up 373 points and yielded 360. That’s howcloseithasbeen.
But this season has been a disappointment for St. Michael’s in head coach Joey Fernandez’ 16thseason at his alma mater. His team lost its first three starts against three quality opponents, and then won four-straight before losing 14-13 at West Las Vegas last week, the first time its lost to the Dons in 15 tries.
So this is a must win. The Horsemen are 4-4 overall and in third place in district behind the two Las Vegas schools.
The Cards are 7-1 overall and have won 5-straight since the surprising 28-0 defeat at 2A Santa Rosa, which is 7-1 and ranked second behind undefeated Eunice in its small-school class.
St. Michael’s heads for Raton (5-4) next week and Robertson takes on West Las Vegas, the district leader at 3-0. The Cardinals are 2-0 and St. Michael’s is 1-1.
The Horsemen have got to cut down on turnovers after nine against WLV. They committed nine penalties for 122 yards. They fumbled four times and lost them all. And they’ve got to protect freshman quarterback Lucas Coriz. He passed for 277 yards last week, but connected on only 13 of 31 attempts. The team did do well in mixing its pass-run game.
Now for Robertson, it has gotten along quite well without Ortiz. Junior Brandon Lucero, only 5-6, 140, starts at quarterback and also starts on defense in the secondary. He has passed for 938 yards and 14 touchdowns to go with five interceptions. He has completed 38 of 79 throws, has rushed for 110 yards on 13 carries, and on defense has 34 sacks, 16 unassisted.
He has quality receivers in all-purpose junior back Antonio Padilla, who has scored 17 times through the air (733 yards) and along the ground (458 yards). Freshman Matthew Gonzales is only 5-5, 140, but he has rushed for 225 yards and has 170 yards of receptions. Padilla has tugged the ball for 733 yards on 21 carries.
But in fumbles, Padilla and Lucero have lost it three of four times. The kicker is senior Jerry Chavez, who has been good on 20 of 21 extra points and 2-for-2 on field goals.
St. Michael’s has got to count on breaks, has got to watch out for the rush or the pass, and has got to make plays, not turnovers.
NOTES: Robertson went 43-7 in Ortiz’ four years on the varsity. His freshman year he was 6-foot, 150 and was 2-for-2 through the air for 47 yards and two TDs.
But last year is a good indication of what he did since than. He threw 191 times, and completed 91 for 1,767 yards, with a longest passing play of 97 yards, and only three interceptions.
He ran the ball 101 times for 1,864 yards. And so his stellar offensive game accounted for 28 touchdowns. And that was only in his senior season.
