roberto e. Rosales/journal
Rio Rancho quarterback Noah Nelson, middle, is tackled by La Cueva defenders Jack Glover (34) and Naseem Ali, top right, during Friday night’s game.
RIO RANCHO — It was a shutout that wasn’t a shutout.
La Cueva’s defense smothered Rio Rancho virtually from start to finish, sacked Rams quarterback Noah Nelson seven times, and the visiting Bears left with a dominating, and awfully impressive, 30-7 prep football victory on Friday night in both teams’ 2022 opener.
La Cueva limited Rio Rancho to 99 yards of total offense, including just 25 in the first half.
“That was our game plan, to put pressure on them, because we knew they couldn’t handle it,” said La Cueva sophomore outside linebacker Mason Posa. “Overall as a defense, we played amazing.”
The Bears’ defense was spotless. It was the La Cueva offense that gave up Rio Rancho’s only touchdown, on a pick-six less than five minutes into the game.
Rio Rancho’s Sebastian Rubio returns an interception for a score against La Cueva. This would be the only points Rio Rancho would score on the night as the Bears shut down the Rams the rest of the game Friday evening in the opener for both teams. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal)
“Yeah, the defense, we expected them to be a little bit more rusty than I thought the offense was,” Bears coach Brandon Back said. “I felt our defense was clicking a little earlier than our offense was.”
The Rio Rancho defense didn’t play poorly, necessarily. It held La Cueva to a modest 261 yards.
But the Bears capitalized on their chances. La Cueva senior quarterback Aidan Armenta threw three touchdown passes, two to Ian Sanchez, who was wide open on both plays, and running back Gabriel Buie had a score before he left with a leg injury.
La Cueva spoiled the debut of Rio Rancho coach Nate Pino. His Rams only managed one score, less than five minutes into the game. Armenta made a throw he probably shouldn’t have, and under pressure he floated a ball into the hands of the Rams’ Sebastian Rubio, who took it the other way 45 yards for a touchdown.
La Cueva scored two minutes later as Armenta threw to an unguarded Sanchez at the 5, and he waltzed into the end zone to complete a 21-yard score and tie the game.
Buie added a 34-yard TD run with 2:35 to go in the first quarter, and Mason Crowell kicked a 26-yard field goal following a short punt that gave the Bears a short field early in the second quarter.
Armenta and Sanchez hooked up on a 30-yard TD midway through the third quarter for a 23-7 advantage.
“I think it just comes down to all the practice we put in over the summer,” Sanchez said. “Me and Aidan have been friends since we were 6. He knows when I’m gonna be open.”
Armenta’s best throw of the evening, and La Cueva’s best play of the night, ended the scoring, as Armenta dropped a perfect 39-yard TD pass into the hands of Jackson Hix five minutes into the final quarter.
Rio Rancho, meanwhile, had precious few scoring opportunities. The Rams only snapped the ball once in La Cueva territory in the first half, and their only drive that reached the red zone, trailing 23-7, fizzled because of a first-down sack on Nelson.
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LA CUEVA 30, RIO RANCHO 7
La Cueva 14 3 6 7 — 30
Rio Rancho 7 0 0 0 — 7
Scoring: RR, Sebastian Rubio 45 interception return (PAT); LC, Ian Sanchez 21 pass from Aidan Armenta (Mason Crowell kick); LC, Gabriel Buie 34 run (Crowell kick); LC, Crowell 26 FG; LC, Sanchez 30 pass from Armenta (kick failed); LC, Jackson Hix 39 pass from Armenta (Crowell kick). Records: LC 1-0; RR 0-1.
First downs: LC 14; RR 7. Rushes/yards: LC 21-73; RR 30-47. Passing: LC 22-32-1—188; RR 6-12-0-52. Total Offense: LC 261; RR 99. Punts avg.: LC 4-34.3; RR 7-27.4. Fumbles lost: LC 1-0; RR 2-1. Penalties yards: LC 4-25; RR 5-50.
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