Sophomore wide receiver Cayson Burcham hauled in touchdown receptions of 76 yards (with 4:49 remaining in the first quarter) and 60 (10:55 left, second) yards and junior fullback Lincoln deKay trucked in TDs of 10 (7:26 left, first) and 12 (4:55 left, second) Friday night as Ignacio crushed Center 50-0.
Ignacio improved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the 1A South Central League with the win. Center fell to 0-7 overall and 0-3 in the 1A South Central League with the loss.
“The O-line had a great first quarter, blocking just about everything, which was great,” said deKay. “Overall I thought it was a great game; everybody played hard.”
deKay ended up with 58 yards rushing on only four carries – including a 22-yarder on the first play from scrimmage, beginning a 5-play, 62-yard drive capped by a 27-yard pass from junior quarterback Zane Pontine to junior receiver Gabe Archuleta.
Burcham ended up totaling 136 yards on his two receptions and also grabbed a two-point conversion pass increasing IHS’ lead to 29-0 with 10:55 remaining in the second quarter. Senior Charley Pargin then booted a line-drive touchback on the ensuing kickoff. After the Vikings went three-and-out from their own 20-yard line and had to punt from their nine, the Bobcats took over on CHS’ 25 with 8:48 left before their Homecoming Week halftime festivities.
Seventeen seconds later, D.J. Hendren carved his way through Center’s defense for an 18-yard score, and Pargin – soon to be named Homecoming King – actually ran for a two-point conversion after catching, by design or by accident, a snap which holder Pontine couldn’t reach.
Center’s next series began at their own 35 after Pargin’s kickoff went out of bounds, but ended with another punt after three plays and two penalties left the Vikes at their own 27. The kick angled out of play at the CHS 47 with 6:16 remaining and the ’Cats, helped by Hendren recovering a Pontine fumble and then gaining another six yards ahead to the 28, completed a 5-play push with deKay’s second score. Pargin nailed the point-after kick and, with running-clock rules enacted, Ignacio went into halftime in control, 44-0.
“Unfortunately (Center) had a kid not playing,” said IHS head coach Alfonso ‘Ponch’ Garcia, speaking of Viking sophomore Caden Ruggles. “He’s hurt, and that was unfortunate; we were kind of looking forward to playing them with him, because when you play people like that they make you better.”
Able to smother a short Pargin kickoff at their own 43 beginning the third quarter, the Vikings quickly went three-and-out, having gained just a yard, and Hendren returned Cesar Medina’s punt 76 yards along Ignacio’s sideline with 8:56 left for what ended up being the night’s final six points (Pontine’s attempted two-point tote was stopped well short).
“The middle linebackers held their ground and so did the d-line,” said Archuleta. “We worked on that and tonight … our defense, I felt, was phenomenal. We were disciplined out there, other than a few moments; we did good all around.”
Pontine finished 5-of-5 passing for 176 yards and three TDs, and Hendren rushed for 36 yards on eight carries. Viking freshman Osmany Roman – who’d posted a 13-yard run, Center’s longest gain, right before the final fumble – ended up with 22 yards on eight tries.
“We knew they weren’t going to pass it much,” IHS senior defensive end Tallias Cantsee said, “so (the plan) was mostly to go inside and stop them running the ball. I thought we were going to go head-to-head – like in Bayfield – but … I was surprised; it was really pretty easy.”
Next week definitely won’t be, as the Bobcats host Monte Vista. And the Pirates (5-2, 3-0 SPC) will be more than happy to rumble after picking up back-to-back forfeit wins in conference over Del Norte and Trinidad.
