The New Mexico Military Institute Bronco football team closed out the season with a win at home vs. Trinity Valley Community College, 58-28, earning the right to the No. 1 seed when the Southwestern Junior College Football Conference begins their four-team conference championship series beginning next week.
NMMI came into the contest with a 7-1 overall record and a 5-1 conference mark. Their only loss was at home two weeks ago against Cisco College, 38-19. The Institute bounced back the following week, collecting a 'W' on the road in a defensive battle against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, 17-7.
This week's win against TVCC should put to rest any doubts about just how good the Broncos are this season. NMMI took care of business in every aspect of the game - whether it was special teams, offense or defense - and Saturday's match-up against the Cardinals, who were ranked as high as No. 4 earlier in the season, was never in question.
The Broncos scored two quick touchdowns to start the contest and were up 14-0 less than four minutes into the game. NMMI's initial score came on their opening offensive series. Quarterback Diego Pavia connected with wide out Jaylin Smith for a 62-yard TD strike on the third play from the line of scrimmage. Place kicker William Testa - who had a busy afternoon with three field goals, eight kickoffs and seven extra points - nailed the PAT to make it 7-0 with 13:49 still on the clock in the first quarter.
Trinity Valley fumbled on their opening play on offense, forced and recovered by the Bronco defense at the TVCC 26. Pavia got his second TD pass four plays later, this time going to tight end Logan Compton from 18 yards out. Testa made the PAT and the Institute was up 14-0 at the 11:03 mark.
The Cards responded by mounting a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive; and it was 14-7 with 8:32 left in the opening period; no further points were placed in the board.
The second stanza was dominated by NMMI: the Bronco offense racked up 238 total yards and scored four times. Pavia pitched another TD pass to runningback Montahj Joseph (9 yards), Testa booted FGs of 25 and 23 yards, and Anthony Grant rushed around the corner from 10-yards out to make it 34-7 at the half. The Institute's Black Swarm defense set up two of those scores with another forced fumble and an interception by cornerback Jayden Oliver.
NMMI won the next quarter as well, outpacing TVCC 21-14 in a long-lasting, high-scoring shootout in the third. The Cards struck first on a 75-yard pass play immediately after the second-half kickoff. Six minutes later, Pavia capped a 7-play, 60-yard drive with a 2-yard TD scramble. Another TVCC touchdown was countered by Pavia's fourth and final TD of the night, this time for 48 yards to wide receiver Terrance Moore. The Bronco's final score in the third came from their defense. Linebacker Josh Beard forced a Cardinal fumble, then ran it back 18 yards into the endzone.
The fourth quarter went by much more quickly, with only two scores. Testa and the Broncos struck first, five minutes in, with a 39-yard FG. The next and final points wouldn't come until the tail-end of the contest with Trinity Valley scoring a touchdown with 52 ticks remaining.
"To come out on top in the conference standings is just an awesome feeling," said Bronco head coach Kurt Taufa'asau. "Heading into this final week and knowing the quality of the Trinity Valley team, we knew we had to fix some things in every aspect of our game, on offense, on defense and on speical teams. I put out the challenge and our coaches and our kids responded. I'm just exicted about the outcome and proud of all the hard work we've put into this, every day, every week. The grind has paid off."
Part of that payoff occurred for coach Taufa'asau immediately following Saturday's final regular-season win. NMMI president MG Jerry W. Grizzle, along with Athletic Director Jose Barron, announced the removal of the 'interim' part of Taufa'asau's Bronco football head coach title.
With the win, the Broncos - currently ranked No. 6 in the NJCAA - move to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in the SWJCFC. That conference mark means they'll have home-field advantage throughout the conference championships - NMMI will play at the Wool Bowl next weekend against the conference team that gets the No. 4 spot. NMMI will announce the Broncos' opponent, along with the kickoff time and date, as soon as it is available.