SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
Granted, Capital’s football team has offensive weapons with the dynamic running back duo of juniors Luke Padilla and Gio Munoz, but how about kudos for its defense.
Defense, defense, defense, has been added to the Jaguars’ bag of tools, with Friday night’s 27-0 whitewash over visiting Taos their second in a row, following up last Friday night’s 41-0 shutdown of Moriarty at Jaguars Field, with the D yielding only 298 yards in the two games.
The last time Bill Moon’s team gave up a point was when visiting Lovington scored with 11 minutes left in the game, and that was two weeks ago. That’s a grand total of 69 quarters that his team has kept the opposition from scoring.
This one was against the reeling defending state 3A champion Tigers who have now lost three in row, two by shutouts, against the likes of Aztec, Santa Fe High and Capital, which is now 3-2 with Portales paying a visit Friday night with a 4-1 record, the only loss coming to 4-1 Goddard.
You’d think that having been ineffective in the scoreless first half, Taos (2-3) would get its act together and have a winning ride home, but no dice as the Jags scored twice in the second half, one in each quarter, and then turned it over to their defense, holding the clawless Tigers to but 124 yards of offense, with only 41 coming in the second half.
Padilla ran for two touchdowns, the first coming five minutes into the third quarter when he sped 52 yards down the middle of the field. Then Capital increased its lead on the last play of the third quarter when senior Sean Ulibarri carried the ball across the goal line from seven yards out.
Late in the final quarter, a 40-yard run by Munoz highlighted a 76-yard drive capped by Padilla’s 8-yard touchdown. Junior quarter Dion Martinez wound up another impressive Capital night by running in an 8-yard TD.
The one drawback was a leg injury to Munoz, and he limped off the field with the aid of two teammates. Moon didn’t speculate on the injury, waiting until he receives further news.
. . . In other Friday night games, the four undefeated teams remain that way, with St. Theresa edging Horizon (El Paso), 15-14, Las Cruces Centennial overwhelming Carlsbad, 38-0, Volcano Vista rolling over Albuquerque Sandia, 41-6, and Roswell blanking Belen, 54-0.
Also, Robertson shut down Tucumcari, 54-0, West Las Vegas did the same to Gallup, 42-0, and Santa Fe Indian School won handily over Thoreau, 26-6.
Then there was Los Lunas disposing of Goddard, 21-7, Socorro downing Shiprock, 56-7, Ruidoso getting past Albuquerque St. Pius X, 15-13, Artesia turning back Lovington, 59-52, Bloomfield defeating Valencia, 46-14, Dexter dominating Wingate, 64-0, Kirtland Central winnng overGrants, 42-34, and Albuquerque La Cueva having no problem blanking Albuquerque High, 42-0.
