Rams continue to roll, trounce Sartans 54-0

Through five weeks of the season, Portales High's football team has dominated on offense, defense and special teams.

If you're wondering how far all of it might take them, though, don't ask the Rams.

Senior Zane Mayberry scored three touchdowns – including two in the first 3 ½ minutes – as Portales rolled to a 41-0 victory over St. Pius on Friday night at Greyhound Stadium.

And it wasn't even that close. Including Mayberry's 88-yard return of the opening kickoff, the Class 4A top-ranked Rams needed only 13 scrimmage plays to amass a 28-0 lead before the end of the opening stanza.

So far through five games, they've outscored their opponents 239-14 – and the 14 points against all came in one quarter, against West Las Vegas.

"I don't think we've played a full four quarters yet," PHS coach Jaime Ramirez said. "We've put together three, but not four.

"As we get into our district and into the playoffs, we want to get to where we're playing four quarters."

Of course, part of it is they haven't had to do so yet. Other than the West Las Vegas tilt, in which they trailed 14-7 before outscoring the Dons 41-0 in the second half, they haven't had to play meaningful time much past the half.

It was Mayberry's second kickoff return score, his other one coming as a sophomore against Hatch Valley.

"I was just excited," he said. "I just celebrated with my team. On the kick return, I just had good blocks (from teammates) to take it back."

Mayberry, who turned a short flat pass from junior quarterback Paxton Culpepper into a 51-yard score on the Rams' first actual possession and added a 5-yard TD reception late in the first frame, echoed his coach's thoughts and said there's work to be done.

"I just see a lot of improvement (ahead)," he said. "It's just another step for us in the road for a (possible) state championship. We want to get better every week."

Culpepper completed 8-of-19 passes for 150 yards – four each to Mayberry, who had 115 yards receiving, and senior Andru Ontiveros – before turning it over to senior Devin Diaz after halftime.

Diaz, the Rams' starting QB two years ago, ended up the team's leading rusher with 89 yards on eight carries, including a 40-yard tote after bobbling the snap to finish the scoring in the final period.

Senior running back Zach Radloff had the other TD, on a 17-yard run in the third frame.

"I like how we responded in the second half with those two big drives (covering 51 and 72 yards)," Ramirez said.

Mayberry and Ramirez said the Sartans (2-3) – whose roster included eight freshmen and two eighth-graders, many of whom played significant time – gave them some good challenges.

"We knew they were a good team," Ramirez said. "They gave us some problems with their (defensive) pressure."

St. Pius managed some success passing with sophomore lefty QB Nathaniel Miera, who was 8-for-20 for 177 yards. But he was intercepted four times before halftime, and PHS limited the Albuquerque- based Sartans to minus-7 yards rushing, with eight negative plays in 16 attempts.

"They gave us some real good looks for our offensive line to block against blitzes," Mayberry said.

Portales plays its only road game in a seven-week span (five home tilts and a bye) on Friday at Eunice (4-0), which is ranked second in Class 4A behind Texico. The Cardinals have outscored their foes 191-47 after blowing out Class 3A Hot Springs 54-0 on Friday.