Texico, Foxes renew playoff rivalry

Texico is out to change its recent playoff history against Fort Sumner in tonight’s Class 1A state semifinal football game at the Field of Hopes and Dreams.

Fort Sumner beat Texico in the Class 1A state championship game 2001 and 2002. The teams were anticipating a third straight battle for the title game in 2003, but Loving upset the Foxes in the first round.

Texico went on to beat Loving 21-6 in the title game to cap off an undefeated season.

Kickoff for tonight is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“Really, I wasn’t hoping to face them in the second round, I was hoping to face them in the championship,” Texico senior running back Johnny Serrano said.

Fort Sumner (8-3) and Texico (10-0) opened the playoffs last week with easy wins.

Fort Sumner is coming into its own after a rash of injuries took its toll early in the season. After starting 2-3, Fort Sumner has reeled off six straight wins.

“They haven’t played their best ballgame by far yet, so I hope they don’t play it Friday night,” Texico coach Mike Prokop said.

Prokop is concerned about Fort Sumner’s big-play offensive capabilities.

Ryan Fikany had 298 yards and four touchdowns on the ground last week for the Foxes.

“He can hurt you in a hurry,” Prokop said. “And then if you stop him, then you’ve got (Derek) Dimitroff and then you’ve got No. 21 (Jeremy Gauna) on special teams.

“They can go the distance from any place on the field,” Prokop said.

Texico has a few players who can do that, too. Serrano and fellow senior Chris Phillips rushed for 1,338 and 1,084 yards this season, respectively, and each averages over 10 yards a carry.

“With all the skills people they have, you miss a tackle, you’re in trouble,” McDaniel said.

He said he would prefer a low-scoring game, with the Foxes’ quick, blitzing defense hopefully slowing down a Texico offense that averages 46 points a game.

“They’ll come at you every down,” Prokop said.

Prokop said he expects a couple of big plays from the Fox defense, but at the same time he believes his team will bust a few big plays on their high-risk, high-reward defense.

“With that type of defense they’re going to guess right and they’re going to guess wrong,” he said.

The winner moves on to face the Questa-Cloudcroft winner.