Locked in a scoreless game at halftime, it was going to take some big plays for the Ignacio High School football team to earn a win Friday night.
The Bobcats hosted New Mexico’s Crownpoint High School in a small-school showdown Friday in Ignacio. With dark clouds looming, the game started under the threat of storms that eventually held off.
Mike Archuleta came up with the game’s first big play when he returned an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. IHS quarterback Trace Lovelace delivered the dagger with a touchdown run in the fourth quarter, as the Bobcats earned a 13-6 victory.
The win improves the Bobcats’ record to 1-1 on the season, while Crownpoint fell to 1-1.
“It feels pretty good,” said Ignacio junior Dustin Sanchez. “We’ve been working hard every week. We had a little extra, and I think that pushed us there late in the game.”
Ignacio recovered two fumbles in the second quarter to stymie the Eagles. Archuleta changed the game in the third quarter when he intercepted a pass from Crownpoint quarterback Justin Yazzie. He soared in the air for a jump ball and hauled it in before running 43 yards for the touchdown.
Lovelace missed the extra point, but Ignacio led 6-0 with 9 minutes, 31 seconds remaining in the game.
Crownpoint was stopped on downs on its next possession, and Ignacio took over on the Crownpoint 47-yard-line with 7:26 to play. The Bobcats marched on an eight-play drive that ate up 4:56 of game clock. The drive was capped by a 27-yard touchdown run by Lovelace, who escaped the pocket, scrambled around and found open field to the end zone. Lovelace quickly collected himself and made the extra point to give Ignacio a 13-0 lead.
“Trace looks like a princess dancing around back there sometimes,” Sanchez said. “It’s pretty like Cinderella.”
Lovelace completed only one pass for two yards but ran for 80 yards on 20 carries. Sanchez had a fumble recovery on defense and ran for 57 yards on 14 carries on offense.
Mitchell Neil also recovered a fumble for the Bobcats.
Crownpoint mounted a 67-yard drive on five plays, all passes, to get back within one score with 1 minute to play. Yazzie hit wide receiver Isaiah Pool on a 37-yard touchdown pass to complete the drive. The two-point pass attempt from Yazzie was incomplete, keeping Ignacio ahead 13-6.
Ignacio will get a week off before hosting Montezuma-Cortez at 7 p.m. Sept. 15.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
