Cats extend win streak to three with shutout

ALBUQUERQUE — After ekeing out their first wins of the season the previous two weeks, Clovis High’s football team put some breathing room between itself and Manzano on Friday night.

Senior quarterback Milo Acosta threw for two scores and ran for another as the Wildcats extended their winning streak to three with a 28-0 shutout of the Monarchs at Wilson Stadium.

Clovis (3-4, 3-1 Class 6A District 2/5) was in control most of the way in a game which deteriorated into some confrontations on the field late.

Cats coach Cal Fullerton said the NMAA could take a look at what happened and possibly administer some discipline. He said much of it came from a frustrated Monarchs squad.

“We’ve got to be smart enough to know that we’ve still got a chance to play in the postseason,” he said.

Clovis’ chances for that improved greatly after Friday’s tilt. The Cats outgained Manzano (1-6, 0-3) 376-279, rushing for 244 yards while Acosta went 10-of-17 through the air for 132 yards.

Meantime, the defense fended off a handful of Monarchs penetrations inside the Clovis 20.

“Our defense played unbelievable,” Fullerton said. “I thought we were way more physical than them from the get-go.”

Acosta hit sophomore Kash Roberts on a 31-yard scoring pass in the first quarter, then ran the ball in from 2 yards out late in the second.

Junior running back R.J. Nora accounted for both second-half TDs, catching a 10-yard pass from Acosta in the third canto and racing 90 yards for a score in the fourth on a third-and-2 play.

In addition to the 98-yard drive on the last score, Acosta led the Cats 95 yards in 13 players in the second period.

“The last three or four weeks he’s been really good,” Fullerton said. “He’s been poised in the pocket, and everything he’s thrown has been on the money.

“There were five or six drives where we looked really good, and a couple of them we couldn’t get into the end zone.”

After Friday’s win, the Cats were tied with Eldorado (5-3, 3-1) for second in the district, one-half game behind La Cueva (6-1, 3-0). Sandia (3-4, 2-1), which plays at Leon Williams Stadium on Friday, had a chance to make it a three-way logjam on Saturday against Albuquerque High.

At least three and possibly four teams from the district should make it into the 12-team playoffs.

Clovis finishes the regular year in Albuquerque against Eldorado on Oct. 30. Fullerton said his players just need to stay the course.

“We’ve got to take it one game at a time, one practice at a time,” he said.