Bronchos roll in first home game under the lights

GRADY – Playing the first home game under the lights in the three-year history of the program, the Grady Bronchos celebrated with a 63-22 rout of Animas on Saturday in the season opener for both squads.

Senior Zane Rush threw for four touchdowns and ran for another for the Bronchos, who cruised after building a 38-8 halftime advantage against the Panthers.

Rush threw for scores of 10, 27 and 45 yards to freshman Zander Ciancio and for 14 yards to junior Deakin Ragland. He also reached the end zone on a 39-yard run.

Senior Xavier Romero added TD tosses of 32 and 61 yards to Ragland and 15 yards to Ciancio. Other scores for Grady came on a 50-yard run by junior Chevy Dickson and a 20-yard interception return by freshman Andre Garcia.

The Bronchos are on the road this week in a 7 p.m. kickoff at Roy-Mosquero on Friday.

Texico 52, Estancia 22 – In another Saturday game, Texico went on the road and pummeled host Estancia 52-22 as senior Cade Figg threw for four touchdowns, including three to sophomore Luke Thompson.

The Figg-to-Thompson connections covered 47, 36 and 29 yards. Figg also went over from a yard out, and threw a fourth TD pass to sophomore Alex Fuentes, covering 18 yards.

The other score for the Wolverines came on a 95-yard kickoff return by Fuentes, who also converted five 2-point conversion runs.

Texico’s defense was led by sophomore Mason Pipkin, with a pair of fumble recoveries, and junior Cole Essex with one.

The Wolverines play the second of three consecutive road tilts to start the year on Friday with a 7 p.m. kickoff at former district rival Santa Rosa.