Tigers, Buffs cruise to easy wins

ELIDA – Senior Klayton Nixon scored three touchdowns and the Elida Tigers opened their 2023 campaign on Friday night with a 50-0 rout of Carrizozo.

The game ended at halftime on the 50-point lead rule.

Nixon scored on a pair of runs and on a pass from sophomore Hayden Rubio. Senior Clayton Griffith and junior Dylan Dobbins each added a pair of TDs for the Tigers, while senior Seth Jimenez caught a scoring pass from Rubio.

Nixon added a 2-point conversion kick to account for the other Tigers points.

Coach Jesse Woodruff said it was the team's first opener at home since the program was restored five years ago.

Elida, which plays its first five games at home this fall, has an open date this week before welcoming Grady on Sept. 1.

Melrose 50, Legacy Academy 0 – At Albuquerque, the Buffaloes stampeded to an easy opening win over the Silverbacks, leading 46-0 at the half and ending the game on the 50-point rule with a score late in the third period.

Junior Josiah Roybal threw TD passes to sophomore Jaxon Odom and senior Michael Cardonita. Junior Brayden Eldridge scored on a pair of runs, while Cardonita and sophomore Carson Jones also had touchdown runs and junior Josh Roybal returned an interception 45 yards into the end zone.

The Buffaloes return to action with a 4 p.m. kickoff on Friday against Colorado 8-man power Mancos. The game will be played at Escalante.

Roy-Mosquero 64, Dora 21 – At Roy, the homestanding Blue jumped on the Coyotes early and cruised to the win. The game had a running clock for a part of the fourth quarter.

Junior Mason Christensen scored all three TDs for Dora – on a 20-yard run in the first quarter, a 40-yard return of an attempted Roy-Mosquero onside kick in the second stanza, and on a 60-yard screen pass from junior Aaron Combs in the third.

Dora takes on Mountainair in its 3 p.m. home opener on Friday.