LAS CRUCES – Mayfield took every meter to win the District 3 Class 5A championship with his 21:14 win over Deming. Especially in his second extra game of the season.
The Trojans may have panicked against a district opponent who was unsurpassed on paper. Deming had 27 players on his list on Thursday night. Mayfield had more than twice as many, though not all of the varsity players expected. The Trojans beat Organ Mountain and Santa Teresa by more than 30 points each; the Wildcats lost to both of them.
But records and roster didn’t matter as Deming scored the game-tying touchdown with 23 seconds to go to send the game into overtime. And head coach Michael Bradley didn’t want to make the situation for his players any more than it was.
“Just go play ball,” said Bradley.
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How it happened
Mayfield played once in extra time earlier this season – against Eldorado in their 28:21 loss in week two – but under significantly different circumstances. Their previous game over time was against a school in a larger classification at the start of the season with no impact on the Mayfield district standings or it could have an immediate impact on the Trojans’ playoffs. Their game against Deming on Thursday night had an impact on both of them.
The Trojans also had no momentum in overtime. Deming had silenced the crowd with a 17-yard touchdown that had 23 seconds left to score at 14, and the Wildcats sacked senior Mayfield quarterback Cesar Granados on the first of his two Hail Mary attempts in the last 11 seconds.
The Trojans hadn’t dominated an offensive attack since the first quarter, when they took a 7-0 lead after their first possession, and an 80-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Cameron Sowards in the fourth quarter to 14-7 in Going lead Mayfields was just a major breach after opening hours. Only in the extension did the Trojans invade the Redzone again.
But when Mayfield began his overtime tenure on the 10-yard line under the New Mexico Activities Association’s overtime rules, it didn’t fail to capitalize on it.
The Trojans’ first game should have been a touchdown. Granados hit Sowards in the far right corner of the end zone, but the ball deflected off his hands and fell incompletely.
Mayfield’s second game was a touchdown.
Senior running back Jose Montoya roped the sideline as he danced inside the five-yard line before pushing his way into the end zone to go up 21:14 before Deming’s offensive streak.
Mayfield stuffed the Wildcats on their first two hours of overtime. Then they forced a fumble, which Deming fell on to gain two yards before bringing the 4th down. And after a defensive pass interference call on fourth and goal moved the ball to the four-yard line for one final down, the Trojans defense dug their heels down the front of the goal line.
They wouldn’t let senior running back Joey Reza find Paydirt, and a train of Trojans sent him out at the two-yard line.
The stars of Thursday
Sowards’ 80-yard touchdown was the longest play of the evening, and Montoya’s 10-yard overtime touchdown run turned out to be the game winner. Granados also scored a one-yard quarterback sneaker in the first quarter.
What would be said
Bradley on winning the county: “It feels fantastic. We weren’t district champions, I can’t even remember (the last time). Probably 2014, 2013, something like that. And that was a big win for Mayfield High School and Mayfield Football.”
Bradley on the resilience of the team on Thursday: “Our kids, they found the whole game to be something in themselves. We had a lot of guys out there who had a crush on the year, they still haven’t recovered. We were injured. And they just kept going, kept going.” walk. That Deming team, that running back, and their quarterback just did a hell of a job. At some point, I think we wore them down in the third and fourth quarters. But we found it difficult to stop them. I didn’t know if we could stop them. And we made a few mistakes on the offensive and it was a close game. “
Bradley on what winning means to get into the playoffs: “It’s a good start for the playoffs. It’s good to go to the playoffs and win the (last three) games and all pretty tough games. … We still have a way to go if we have any want to win games in the playoffs. We have to improve offensively and watch the ball, and defensively we just have to get healthy. “
Bradley on his message to the team going into overtime: “Just go play ball. We won’t put anything on their minds. It’s unnecessary. And that’s the thing, it’s all so emotional at this point. … So you try to keep people as calm as they do. ” Maybe it can. Let them do their job. “
What’s next
Mayfield goes to the playoffs after winning his district, though his seed and opponent have yet to be determined. Deming’s playoff fate is unlikely to be known until the NMAA playoff series releases at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday
Stephen Wagner is a sports reporter for Las Cruces Sun-News. He can be found on Twitter at @ stephenwag22 and can be reached at [email protected].
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