Cats face Demons

Sports editor

[email protected]

The theme of this year’s Clovis High football team has been overcoming adversity and according to coaches and players, ‘getting off the bus’ is one adversity the team must overcome if they hope to have any success moving forward.

Playing host to Santa Fe tonight, the Wildcats (4-3, 1-1 district) would like to come out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, with no first half hiccups or stumbles. It is a good night to do it too, as the Demons (0-7, 0-2 district) are still seeking their first win on the season.

Clovis head coach Eric Roanhaus said, “I don’t know what it is, but every team seems to have their own temperament, characteristic — identity really. This team’s identity is when we go on the road, we just don’t play very well and that’s something we need to change. We don’t play well in the first half at home even.

“This is a good group of kids, they work hard and know what they have to do, they just have to overcome.”

Standout running back Micah Gray understands this adversity all to well, having spent most of the first quarter in last weeks contest against Manzano trying to claw his way back to the line of scrimmage with defenders draped all over him.

“Coach said all week we needed to get off the bus and that’s exactly what happened, we didn’t come out to play the first half,” said Gray.

Echoing both his teammates and coaches, offensive lineman Stevin Lindsey said, “During the Manzano game we kind of psyched ourselves out because that was an important game, and we just didn’t get off the bus. … We want to keep pushing and want every one of our brothers to succeed. It’s a brotherhood on this team and especially for me, I just want to help them succeed, especially the seniors on the team.”

Hopefully with an winless Demons team coming to town, the Wildcats can work past some of the first half woes that have plagued them thus far, but they will be doing it missing a couple key players. Linebacker Rudy Ceniceros’ status is unknown after a injury suffered against Manzano and will at the least miss tonight’s matchup, while quarterback Sebastian Roanhaus will still be sidelined with an ankle injury.

Replacement QB Skylar Wadas, who was given double duty against Manzano playing behind center while still keeping up with his defensive duties, will once again be taking snaps for the Wildcats.

Wadas knows what he has to do heading into the contest, saying, “Looking to work on going through my progressions and reads on pass plays. I was 0-for-5 last week and pretty disappointed. Just leading the team and making sure we don’t have any turnovers.”

GAMEDAY

Santa Fe (0-7, 0-2) at Clovis (4-3, 1-1)

7 p.m. today, Leon Williams Stadium

On the air: KCLV-AM 1240, KCLV-FM 99.1, KTQM-FM 99.9, streaming online at kclvsports.com at ktqmclovis.com.

Coaches: Santa Fe, Ray Holladay, 8th season, 23-65. Clovis, Eric Roanhaus, 39th season, 339-140-5.

Last week: Santa Fe lost to La Cueva 55-0. Clovis lost at Manzano 27-14.

Last meeting: 2001, Clovis blasted the Demons 56-6 en route to the Class 5A state title. Clovis leads the series 12-1 and has won the last five meetings by a combined score of 247-18.

Tigers players to watch: Quarterback Adrian Blea, who enters the game with more than 500 yards passing, and running back Alex Abeyta, the Demons’ leading rusher with 257 yards and two scores.

— Compiled by David Norton