Rams brush past Matadors in first-round win

RIO RANCHO 47, SANDIA 17

RIO RANCHO — The 7-seed Rio Rancho Rams had no trouble dealing with 12-seed Sandia Friday, Nov. 8, as they cruised to a 47-17 victory in the first round of the NMAA Football State Championship.

It was “The JJ and Jace Show” at Rams Stadium as senior quarterback JJ Arellano found wide receiver Jace Pitt downfield for three big touchdowns, his only three passing TDs in the game.

Arellano’s big arm was on full display. His first touchdown was a 62-yard bomb to Pitt up the left seam. His second was a tight 11-yard out to Pitt. His third capped off the night, sailing 59 yards into the arms of a wide-open Pitt.

Arellano also ran for three touchdowns, bringing his total to six on the night.

His rushing touchdowns were almost as impressive as his passing. The first was a simple 1-yard goal-line push. But with three minutes left in the first quarter, Arellano wove through the Sandia line and ripped off a 74-yard touchdown run.

His third was the death knell for the Matadors. With two minutes left in the third, Arellano did it again. This time he ran 59 yards and put the score at 40-10.

“We played well up front. JJ was confident in the run game. Jace Pitt had a monster game. He was all over it,” said Rams head coach Nate Pino. “Our theme was ‘Just go.’ On defense, just fly around, be aggressive, get to the football.”

The fourth quarter started with sophomore QB Micah Takahashi in command. With nine minutes left, junior running back Ethan Rolon had a 13-yard run up the middle for the seventh, and final, touchdown of the night.

Sandia’s sophomore quarterback Jahleel Lewis put up a good fight, using his 6-foot, 3-inch build to see over the line and stretch the field. He hit running back Lucas Hoswell for a 5-yard touchdown in the second quarter and managed to do some damage with his legs throughout the night.

The Matadors kept fighting, even scoring a last-minute touchdown thanks to a short 2-yard run from Lewis, but it was too, little too late.

The game finished with the Rams on top 47-17, and the fireworks went off.

“[Sandia] played well,” Pino said. “Our guys adjusted after about that third drive. And then it was the same thing on offense; just play with tempo and get after it.”

That’s the end of the season for Sandia, but the Rams head south to face 2-seed Centennial next Friday night.

It’s a game the Rams have played before, with poor results. RRHS lost to the Hawks Aug. 13 in Las Cruces, 43-27. The game was close until the final five minutes; however, and Pino and the Rio boys will be looking to get some revenge this time around.