Next stop for new head coach Bill Moon’s Santa Fe Indian School football team is at Wingate Friday night

For long-time coach Bill Moon, football is his game, and for about 37 years he’s been having a ball no matter where he coaches.

After first inaugurating the program at Capital in 1986, he coached and began the program at Rio Rancho for three years, then moved closer to home to coach Santa Fe High, then, after a short stay at Espanola Valley, he returned to coach Capital, and prior to this season he hooked up with Santa Fe Indian School.

He also brought aboard Kevin Hauck to assist him as he’s done several times, and this linked him with one of the key St. Michael’s assistants.

His Braves opened the campaign on their new NFL look, a brand-new turf field that added to the already neat campus. And with a strong second half of a mixture of offense and defense that downed the visitors from Cuba, 32-18, then they hit the road for unbeaten Pojoaque Valley and left with a resounding 64-12 setback.

Then came Saturday afternoon‘s rescheduled contest against the visitors from non-district foe Laguna-Acuma. Because of a shortage of game officials, it was moved there from Friday night and Indian School came away with a 20-14 triumph.

“We played hard,” Moon said. “We did well on offense and were super on defense. We scored the go-ahead touchdown with 3:27remaining on a pass play, and without kickers, we ran for the two points and then our defense went to work again, keeping Laguna-Acuma scoreless and running down the clock.”

The Braves had a host of heroes. junior Taylor Torvivio did his part on offense by scoring twice, and on defense as a middle linebacker, he paved the way to holding the Hawks to only 31 yards along the ground.

“Taylor was outstanding,” said Moon, “and so was outside linebacker Owen Celestine, a junior, and freshman corner back Terrance Crespin made a big interception at a key time.”

Moon added that it was awesome defense when Laguna-Acuma was twice stopped inside his own 10 that included a fourth and one at the goal line that turned the ball over.

“These Indian School kids are very coach able,” Moon said. “They listen and they go out and do their best, as they did Saturday.”

Indian School, which plays at win-less Wngate Fridiay night, and Laguna-Acoma (1-2) were scoreless after one quarter, but the Hawks went in front 7-0 in the second quarter, only to have the Braves score on a 15-yard Torvivio scamper into the end zone on fourth and one to get within 7-6 at halftime.

Laguna-Acoma went in front again on a touchdown and extra point in the third quarter to grab a 14-6 lead. Then, after another big stand by its defense, Coriz found Torviivio on a first and 10 pass play from the 15, and Indian School was now down 14-12.

This followed a pass play from junior quarterback Andre Coriz to senior Fenyx Morninngdove who ran to the visitors’ 15 before being stopped. Torvivio then took it in from there.

Another key defensive stand by the home side got the ball back, and on first and 10 with 3:27 remaining, Coriz completed a 51-yard pass play to Morningdove who carried it into the end zone, and then came the important 2-point run from Torvivio that brought the final score after he again led the aggressive defense that gave Laguna-Acuma fits in the final minutes.

The Braves put together 325 total yards, 82 through the air and 243 along the ground. The Hawks totaled yards via the pass and their rushing game never got going.

Just another day at his football field office for Bill Moon.