One, only one school from District 2-5A will receive an invitation to the state 5A football tournament that goes automatically to the winner

By Arnie Leshin 

District 2-5A is so weak on the football field, there can be only one school gaining a berth in the state tournament, and that’s automatic for whoever wins the district that is now sporting a dismal 9-20-1 record.

Even a team with a losing record can be in the hunt, and that is Albuquerque Del Norte after taking to the road and dominating Capital, 54-2, Friday night at Jaguar Field. The Jaguars also have a losing record, but will not be in the hunt.

Right above the Knights is Los Alamos, and they meet Nov. 2 at the Hilltoppers’ Sullivan Field. Los Alamos is 4-3 overall, 2-0 in district, and also has a trip to Capital (1-6-1, 0-2) Friday night. The next afternoon, Santa Fe High plays at Del Norte, which is now 2-6 overall and 1-0 in district.

The Demons (2-6, 0-0) and the Toppers had a Saturday afternoon game at Ivan Head Stadium, and the visitors won 22-13, so the school up on the hill probably has the best chance, but the Knights  can’t be forgotten.

Capital is out of contention for the district title.This rout wasn’t expected, but Del Norte certainly took care of business.

There wasn’t much good to write about the Jags. Their defense was run over and passed over. For the visiting team, there was sophomore running back Isaiah Ortiz rushing for 159 yards and scoring three touchdowns, his last a 2-yard scamper just a minute into the fourth quarter.

Then there was senior quarterback Christian Mejia running the ball for 97 yards and a trio of TDs, and passed for 53 yards through the air. Defensively, the smothering Knights contained sophomore Luke Padilla, Capital’s leading rusher, for 79 yards. The rest of the team totaled minus- 10.

The Jaguars had no response after it took but two plays for Del Norte to establish its superiority, and it scored quickly. Senior Alex Muruguria gathered the opening kickoff and raced 37 yards to the Jaguars’ 36. On the ensuing play, Meija ran an option keeper 36 yards for a touchdown.

And the rout was on. It was 14-0 when Muruguria intercepted a Julian Sanchez pass and returned it 43 yards into the end zone with 7:55 remaining in the opening quarter.

Then Capital watched the ensuing kickoff land, but never went after it as Jasper Mares of the Knights recovered it at the Jags; 1, Then, with 7:21 left in the first half, Mejia carried the ball for a 5-yard TD.

Capital could never get its offense going, on land or in the air. Del Norte plugged up the middle and left Padilla from running outside and using his speed. And Sanchez didn’t help, as he completed none of his seven throws and passed for a trio of interceptions.

“It was dismal,” said long-time head Capital coach Bill Moon. “We had three picks, and our three longest runs came on illegal procedures because we jumped the count. Two plays where we had the tailback free in the secondary and both times the referees blew the plays dead.

“They’re a good team, but once again, we shot ourselves in the foot too many times. Good teams don’t do that.”

NOTES: In the state 5A rankings, unbeaten Roswell Goddard (7-0) is on top, Valencia, Santa Teresa and Roswell are all at 6-2.

Then comes Los Lunas (5-2), Piedra Vista (5-3), defending state champion Artesia (5-3), which has the most state titles (28), Belen (5-3) and Albuquerque Valley (5-3).

LOS ALAMOS (5-3) from 2-5A, Deming (4-3-1). Farmington (4-4), 2-5A SANTA FE HIGH (2-6), 2-5A DEL NORTE (2-6), Chapparal (1-7), 2-5A CAPITAL (1-6-1), Albuquerque Highland (1-7), Alamagordo (1-7) and Miyamura (1-7) round out the 19 schools.

Two weeks left before the state tournament kicks off. That’s the only sport that remains 6A, the others 5A, 4A, 3A, and 2A,