Hawks' late touchdown spoils Rio Rancho homecoming comeback, 42-39

RIO RANCHO — Centennial running back Dailen Ramirez didn’t buy a ticket to the dance, but he sure left his mark all over Rio Rancho’s Homecoming.

After a late Rams comeback, the Hawks drove down the field to set up a game-winning touchdown from Ramirez, scoring on a 15-yard catch-and-run with eight seconds left in the game to win 42-39.

TOUCHDOWN: CentennialRamirez miraculously breaks through a couple Rams with eight seconds to go for the go-ahead score.PAT is good. 42-39 Hawks.This place has gone silent.@RRObserver pic.twitter.com/CNvUjWmR6k

— Dan Allison (@danlallison) September 13, 2025

The junior has now recorded three straight games with 100 yards or more, including multiple touchdowns in each of those contests. His game-clinching score marked a season-high three-score night.

Centennial’s final drive, however, was not their first comeback of the game. The Hawks fell behind 16-0 out of the gates. Rio Rancho receiver Parker Miller put up two first-half touchdowns before Ramirez would light a spark with two rushing touchdowns of his own.

Penalties and self-inflicted wounds would turn a hot start into a sluggish start to the second half for the Rams, something that has been all too familiar for Rio Rancho Head Coach Nate Pino and his team.

“We’ve got to clean up all three facets,” Pino said. “Special teams slipped up a little bit; we had a ton of penalties, too, and some were in tough spots, pushing us back. We threw a pick in the end zone, just stuff like that.”

For Rio Rancho, this write-up is eight seconds away from clamoring over the heroics of Rams receiver Jace Lee. The senior scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game, including a 60-yard screen pass to bring the Rams out of a 10-point hole on his three-touchdown night.

Holding a 39-25 lead, Rio Rancho's raucous Homecoming week student section was ready for a Rams' victory, but a questionable roughing the passer call and the resilience of Ramirez and the Hawks left the door open, allowing them to steal what was an incredible game between two good teams.

“I thought our kids fought, and that that was our challenge for the week,” Pino said. “After last week, we got pushed around a little bit, but tonight, to fight and to compete, to answer the bell, you know, I thought our guys did that.”

Now sitting at 2-2, the Rams will have to regroup after the heartbreaker with a road trip to Texas to face Eastlake High School on Thursday, Sept 18.

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