Durango and Bayfield’s football teams both traveled to New Mexico on Friday. The Demons took on Piedra Vista, the No. 2 team ranked in New Mexico’s Class 5A, while the Wolverines played the Aztec Tigers.
Lightning in the area, however, caused both games to start late, then paused both contests in the third quarters.
Durango was trailing Piedra Vista, 14-7 in the third quarter after a 7-7 tie at halftime.
Bayfield trailed Aztec, 12-7. The Bayfield game, however, was called, around 9:45 p.m. giving Aztec the victory.
In Piedra Vista they waited out the lightning longer, but when it was safe to resume, the stadium’s lights didn’t come back on, delaying the game further.
The game finally resumed around 11:15 p.m. after a nearly two-hour delay.
The Demons started with the ball with 42 seconds left in the third and continued to march down the field. Jeric Baruch eventually scored on a 1-yard run to cap an 18-play drive with 10:30 left in the fourth.
The Demons went for two, but Baruch was tackled just short of the end zone and Piedra Vista held on to a 14-13 lead.
Piedra Vista punted on its next possession, and then Durango punted.
Miguel Garcia Rodriguez came up with a big tackle in the backfield on Piedra’s next possession and Durango used its final timeout with 3:02 left.
After an incomplete pass, Piedra Vista went for it on fourth down at Durango’s 34. The Demons, however, came up big and sacked the quarterback at midfield to get the ball back with 2:54 left.
Zach Haber was tackled for a loss on first down. On second down, an intentional grounding penalty moved the Demons way back and resulted in third down and about 30. DHS was forced to go through the air and receiver Jaxon Fancher got a step on his man, but the throw to him was just long.
On fourth down, Tyler Harms was intercepted with 1:56 left. Piedra Vista then ran out the clock to win, 14-13.
Haber had a couple of big runs on Durango’s opening possession and DHS got a first-and-10 at Piedra Vista’s 22. The Demons, however, turned the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass on fourth down.
A 15-yard sack helped Durango stop the Panthers on their first drive.
Piedra Vista then struck after converting a Durango fumble into a score. Piedra Vista started the drive at Durango’s 32 and Jacob Ramsted eventually scored on a 4-yard run to go up 7-0 with 8:29 left in the second quarter. .
The Demons answered with a 7-play, 58-yard drive touchdown drive to tie the game, 7-7. Harms scored with a 4-yard run.
Piedra Vista then threatened again. Luke Wesley, however, intercepted a Piedra Vista pass in the end zone to end the first half.
Piedra Vista took the lead in the third quarter on a 31-yard touchdown pass to cap a 6-play, 71-yard drive.
Bayfield took the first lead in its game against Aztec on a 50-yard game opening drive. Quarterback Deegan Barnes hit Nic Twedt on a 20-yard touchdown pass over the middle and BHS as jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
Aztec, however, responded immediately. Tristen McNeal returned the ensuing kick off 80 yards for a touchdown. Bayfield remained ahead 7-6 by stuffing Aztec’s two-point attempt.
BHS then avoided a disaster when Donovan “Dante” Candelaria intercepted a Marcquis Henry jump ball in the end zone with no time remaining in the first.
Aztec was able to take a 12-6 lead on a 5-play, 87-yard drive in the third quarter, which included a 51-yard Henry pass to Jacob Greyeyes down the sideline. Henry scored from the 1 on the next snap, but his two-point throw fell incomplete.
As Aztec lined up to kick off, however, the game was delayed due to lighting in the area with 3:36 remaining in the third quarter.
The game was eventually called just before 10 p.m., giving Aztec the 12-7 win.
Joel Priest contributed to this report.
