Buffs ride 30-point third quarter past Tatum

MELROSE — The Melrose Buffaloes needed a little spark on Friday night, and they certainly got one from senior Jaryn Bruce.

Leading Tatum just 8-0 at halftime, Bruce forced and recovered a fumble, returning it 36 yards for a touchdown, then blocked a punt and carried it in from 2 yards out as the Buffs (3-3) eventually thumped the Coyotes 38-6.

It was a rematch of last year’s 8-man state championship at Tatum, which the Coyotes won 22-14.

Sophomore quarterback Josiah Roybal ran 6 yards for a second-quarter tally, and freshman Jaxon Odom added the 2-point conversion run. That held up until Bruce’s plays opened it to 24-0 early in the third stanza.

Roybal added TD tosses of 19 yards to junior Dathan Yeary and 34 yards to senior Asher Lunsford to complete a 30-point quarter. The Coyotes (2-3) broke up the shutout in the closing moments on a 7-yard pass from senior Taylor Garner to junior Carlos Martinez.

Melrose returns to action on Friday night at Dulce.

In other New Mexico area action on Friday:

Grady 39, Carrizozo 14 — At Carrizozo, junior Zane Rush passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more as the Bronchos (2-3) used a huge second half to overcome an 8-0 halftime deficit.

Rush scored on runs of 5 and 26 yards and delivered scoring passes of 29 yards to eighth-grader Zander Ciancio and 15 yards to junior Xavier Romero, capping a 26-point third session. Grady’s fourth-quarter tallies came on a 17-yard pass from Ciancio to sophomore Deakin Ragland and a 26-yard run by sophomore Chevy Dickson.

The Bronchos are home for a 2 p.m. 6-man District 1 matchup with Dora on Friday.

Also on Friday night, Mountainair improved to 6-0 with a 61-14 win at home over Elida (3-2). The Tigers are slated to host Ramah on Friday night.

In area Texas games on Friday night:

Farwell 30, Friona 6 — Senior quarterback Alec Actkinson rushed for 235 yards on just 11 carries, including TD runs of 69 and 65 yards, as the Steers improved to 5-0 for the season by beating the visiting Chieftains.

Junior Corey Stancell added 136 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts for the Steers, who rushed for 457 yards and outgained Friona overall 469-209.

Actkinson broke the scoring ice with his first long run early in the opening segment.

After Friona (1-3) pulled to 7-6 later in the period but missed the PAT kick, junior Corey Stancell made it 14-6 with a 2-yard run in the second period.

Junior Jackson Wilbourn, who went 3-for-4 on PAT kicks, added a 37-yard field goal in the third quarter before Actkinson’s second TD jaunt made it 23-6. Sophomore Alonzo Lozano went in on a 40-yard run in the final frame.

The Steers have an open date before beginning District 1-2A Division I play at unbeaten (4-0) Stratford on Oct. 7.

Muleshoe 27, Abernathy 20 — At Muleshoe, the Mules overcame touchdowns on interception and kickoff returns by the Antelopes in the opening stanza.

Junior running back Daniel Sianez finished with 160 yards on the ground and two touchdowns, including a 61-yard run to break a 20-20 tie in the final period. He also scored on a 2-yard run in the opening frame.

Sophomore quarterback Nathan Martens went 18-of-22 for 206 yards for the Mules (4-1), including a 72-yard TD pass to senior Eliasar Cisneros in the third period. Cisneros then caught an 8-yard scoring pass from senior Irvin Torres to give Muleshoe a 20-14 lead entering the final canto.

Abernathy tied it on senior QB Kaleb Harrell’s 14-yard TD toss to senior Landry Miller early in the fourth quarter, but the Antelopes missed the potential go-ahead PAT kick.

Harrell went 9-of-18 passing for 89 yards, but was picked off three times by the Mules. He also rushed 15 times for 102 yards.

Muleshoe hosts Brownfield on Friday night.

Shamrock 44, Bovina 0 — The host Irish (4-1) got two scoring runs each from senior running back Caden Peevy and junior QB Kit Macina en route to their win over the Mustangs.

Peevey went 33 yards in the first period and 37 in the third, while Macina’s TD runs were for 3 and 13 yards in the second stanza. Macina also threw a 15-yard scoring pass to junior wide receiver Rodney Holmes in the third, while Holmes found freshman running back Layton Gilbert for a 57-yard TD play in the fourth.

Shamrock’s defense held the Mustangs (1-4) to 88 total yards. Peevy rushed for 141 yards on 10 carries for the Irish, while senior Darian De La Rosa toted 27 times for 84 yards and caught five passes for 32 for the Mustangs.

Bovina is idle this week, then starts its District 3-2A Division II slate on Oct. 7 at home against Ralls.