Nanez scores four touchdowns, Storm thrash 'Cats in home opener

RIO RANCHO - Evan Nanez: 24, Clovis Wildcats: 0

In a 57-0 rout, the Cleveland Storm put on an offensive clinic in their home opener.

QB Jordan Hatch tossed six touchdowns, with four of them going to sophomore standout Evan Nanez. It’s the most receiving touchdowns in a game by a Storm player since 2021, with Nanez’s monster night giving him three-straight 100+ yard games on the year.

“We did great all around as a team,” Nanez said. “Just keep pushing, getting better.”

The game started bizarrely, with three straight fumbles by the Wildcats' special teams unit on three straight kickoffs by Cleveland.

I’ve seen a decent amount of football…but three separate fumbles on an onside kick, a pooch kick, and a normal kick? In a row?That’s a new one.@RRObserver https://t.co/GnqhfSA10m

— Dan Allison (@danlallison) September 6, 2025

With Clovis handing out free passes, the Cleveland offense did its thing, putting up 42 points in the first quarter. The game was called at halftime.

Outside of Nanez, Jacob Maldonado had a day himself. Two touchdowns and a couple of deep balls from Hatch, including a 50+ yard catch in stride to set up Nanez’s fourth touchdown catch on the ensuing play.

“I mean, it makes it very easy for me, right?” Hatch said. “We just got to get our playmakers the ball, and that's what we did today.”

While the offense put on a show, the defense held up its end of the bargain as well. Cleveland’s defensive line got to Clovis QB Javier Jimenez all night long, as cornerback Johannes Hernandez intercepted a Wildcat shot to the endzone in the second quarter.

Hatch and the Storm offense will look to carry the momentum into what is being billed as the game of the season, with the number two-ranked Las Cruces Bulldawgs coming to Cleveland next week.

“We just gotta take it day by day,” Hatch said. “I mean, it's one versus two, this is what you play for.”

Kickoff between Cleveland and Las Cruces is set for 7:00 p.m., Sept 12, at Lightning Bolt Stadium.

“We’ll celebrate tonight, but not too much,” Nanez said. “And then, we are locking in for (Las) Cruces.”