Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Staff writer
BLACKWATER DRAW — Coming into Friday’s game, the big question for the Class 4A top-ranked Portales Rams was how would they react to last week’s bye week when they faced Ruidoso. It took just two plays to get their answer.
Bronte Staugaard took a handoff and ran 51 yards for his first of five touchdowns in Portales’ 54-0 District 4-4A victory over the Warriors.
It was a game in which the Rams (8-0, 2-0 district) could do no wrong, while Ruidoso (3-6, 1-2) couldn’t get anything going.
Case in point would be the start of the second half. With Portales already leading 41-0, Ruidoso took its first snap in the third quarter and promptly fumbled the ball, allowing Jeremy Karngbaye to recover and give the Rams excellent field position at Ruidoso’s 35-yard line.
Ruidoso held tight for three plays, but on fourth-and-3 PHS quarterback Junior Ramirez sailed 28 yards for a score.
Staugaard and Ramirez played integral parts in all eight Rams scores in a game ending before the end of the third stanza on the 50-point lead rule.
“That extra week to prepare really helped us out,” Staugaard said. “We had three or four guys, including myself, that were injured. It was perfect timing for the break, and it helped us get ready for this game.”
Staugaard carried 15 times for 205 yards and four TDs while catching two passes for 69 yards and another score.
Ramirez added a pair of scoring runs and threw for two others. Wide receiver Jake Weringa pulled down a 7-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter after making a spectacular 34-yard grab earlier in the drive.
“Both catches were the same play, but I ran a different route,” Weringa said. “On the first one I took the deep route, and on the score I signaled to Junior that I would be cutting in. He got me the ball perfectly.”
Portales had just six offensive plays in the second half, but PHS coach Jaime Ramirez gave both his backups and starters reps until the game was called with 1:55 left in the third quarter.
“Our boys have been doing an outstanding job,” Ramirez said. “I wanted to give our starters time in the second half, but our backups in the third quarter did a great job as well.”
Now in firm control of the District 4-4A race, the Rams will head to Brother Abdon Field in Santa Fe for a 2 p.m. district contest on Saturday against the St. Michael’s Horsemen.
