NMMI Sports Press
The Colt Football team is headed to the Class 3A state semifinals after a resounding 35-8 road upset of the West Las Vegas Dons on a chilly evening just east of the southern tip of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains.
Junior quarterback Cole Seidenberger led the Institute’s option attack almost to perfection as the offense marched down the field time and again, draining the clock and punishing the Dons at the line of scrimmage.
NMMI amassed 339 rushing yards while keeping the ball for more than three-quarters of the contest.
“I’ve got a great O-line, the best in the class,” said a victorious Seidenberger after the game. “Those guys really threw them around up front and it’s really all because of them.”
After the West Las Vegas band played the national anthem as four U.S. military veterans presented the colors at midfield, the Colts received the opening kickoff and began their methodical march, eating up much of the first quarter.
The Colts drove 63 yards to the Don 1-yard line when the cold weather bit junior running back Tegin Maloney, who fumbled trying to punch the ball into the endzone.
But the West Vegas fans weren’t given much time to cheer as the NMMI defense stuffed the Dons’ ball carrier for a loss on the next play, scoring a safety to take a 2-0 lead with 3:40 left in the first quarter.
The Colts and Maloney made up for the goal line gaffe, taking the next possession 50 yards culminating in a 3-yard touchdown rush for the Roswell native, making the score 9-0 a half minute into the second period.
The Colts continued to bully the Dons on both sides of the ball, with the defense pitching a shutout until late in the fourth quarter when NMMI head coach John O’Mera decided to give his backups some valuable playing experience, a strategy he has employed all season rather than ending games early by the mercy rule.
“We played as good a football game as we have all year, offensively, defensively and special teams,” O’Mera said. “Our coaches did an outstanding job preparing the team. We didn’t know how our kids would react to the cold weather, but other than that first fumble, we executed pretty well. If we play like that, we’ll be a tough out for anybody.”
The Colts will either face No. 1 St. Mikes or No. 9 Raton in next week’s semifinal, but the bigger question on NMMI fans’ minds tonight is the status and health of Maloney, who left the game late in the third quarter and didn’t return.
“Tegin has just gotten better and better as the season went on and he’s a real load to try and take down,” O’Mera said. “He really ran great tonight and we hope he’s ok and we’ll find out more about him when we get back home.”
The Colts made plenty of big defensive plays to keep the Dons off the field, like senior lineman Gabe Richardson’s fourth-and-short stop in the second quarter, or senior defensive back Santiago Lordmendez’ midfield interception to halt Vegas’ first drive of the second half.
“Our defense is very well coached,” Seidenberger said. “And we really play as a team. That’s a great thing about living together. We’re a brotherhood.”
“We did good offensively, but that defense was unbelievable tonight,” gushed O’Mera. “Great game plan by our defensive coaches.”
UPDATE: The No. 1 St. Michael's Horsemen scored 21-unanswered second-half points Saturday to top the No. 9 Raton Tigers 21-14. The No. 5 Colts will travel to Santa Fe to take on the Horsemen at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18.