The Santa Rosa (NM) varsity football team will play a home playoff game against Raton (NM) today at 1 p.m. at Santa Rosa High School. This game is part of the 2024 Nusenda Credit Union State Football Championships – 2A tournament.

Raton vs Santa Rosa Football Game Info:

What: New Mexico High School Football Playoffs
Who: Raton vs Santa Rosa
When: Saturday, November 16, 2024
Time: 1:00 p.m.
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Game preview: Raton vs Santa Rosa

The Raton and Santa Rosa football teams are set to face off in an exciting playoff game today, following their previous meeting just weeks ago. With both teams showcasing impressive seasons, this game promises to be an intense matchup. Let’s dive into the rankings, records, and stats of these two teams.

Team Records and Rankings

Raton (24-25)

• Overall Record: 6-5
• District Record: 3-2
• Home Record: 4-2
• Away Record: 2-3
• Win Percentage: .545
• District Win Percentage: .600
• Points For (PF): 295
• Points Against (PA): 283

Santa Rosa (24-25)

• Overall Record: 7-3
• District Record: 5-0
• Home Record: 4-1
• Away Record: 3-2
• Win Percentage: .700
• District Win Percentage: 1.000
• Points For (PF): 321
• Points Against (PA): 227

Santa Rosa enters this game with a solid record of 7-3, including a perfect 5-0 district record, while Raton holds a slightly lower win percentage at .545. Both teams have shown strong performances this season, with Raton scoring 295 points and Santa Rosa putting up 321.

Scoring Averages

Raton and Santa Rosa have different scoring patterns, with Raton scoring an average of 26.8 points per game and Santa Rosa averaging 32.1 points per game. In their last meeting, Santa Rosa dominated with a 48-19 victory, largely due to their high-scoring offensive plays. Below is a breakdown of scoring averages by quarter:

• Raton:
  • Q1: 24.0
  • Q2: 0.7
  • Q3: 0
  • Q4: 0.7
  • Final: 26.8
• Santa Rosa:
  • Q1: 15.0
  • Q2: 3.0
  • Q3: 1.4
  • Q4: 3.0
  • Final: 32.1

Head-to-Head: Recent Matchup

In their last encounter on October 25, Santa Rosa triumphed 48-19, with Raton failing to score in the second, third, and fourth quarters. Santa Rosa’s defense shut down Raton in the second half, leaving them with only 19 points for the game. This sets the stage for a high-stakes rematch, with Raton hoping to rebound from their previous loss.

Key Team Stats

When comparing key statistics, there are some notable differences:

• Rushing Yards Per Game:
  • Raton: 176.6
  • Santa Rosa: 260.9
• Passing Yards Per Game:
  • Raton: 127.3
  • Santa Rosa: 35.4
• Receiving Yards Per Game:
  • Raton: 127.3
  • Santa Rosa: 35.0
• Total Yards Per Game:
  • Raton: 303.9
  • Santa Rosa: 296.3
• Tackles Per Game:
  • Raton: 56.2
  • Santa Rosa: 48.6
• Points Per Game:
  • Raton: 26.0
  • Santa Rosa: 27.5

Raton has a higher rushing average, led by standout player Cannon Walton, but Santa Rosa has been more efficient with their overall offense. While Raton tends to rely more on their rushing attack, Santa Rosa’s defensive line and tackling skills have been key in keeping opponents’ points low.

Player Leaders

• Raton:
  • Cannon Walton: 115.1 rushing yards per game, 108.8 passing yards per game, and 223.9 total yards per game.
  • Wyatt Berry: 44.5 receiving yards per game.
  • Chase Middlebrook: 6.7 tackles per game.
• Santa Rosa:
  • Josh Cordova: 124.6 rushing yards per game and 160.0 total yards per game.
  • Daryn Pacheco: 20.4 receiving yards per game.
  • David Chavez: 8.7 tackles per game.

Common Opponents

Both teams have faced some similar opponents this season. Here’s how they fared:

• Raton:
  • Lost to Robertson (49-7), Legacy Academy (34-0), and Estancia (41-18).
  • Beat Tucumcari (51-24) and Capitan (27-0).
• Santa Rosa:
  • Lost to Robertson (49-19), but won against Legacy Academy (27-20), Tucumcari (55-7), Capitan (48-0), and Estancia (54-0).

Despite their losses to Robertson, both teams dominated several of their other common opponents, and Santa Rosa had a more dominant performance overall, particularly in their victories over Tucumcari and Capitan.

Game Preview

As the Raton varsity football team prepares for its away playoff game against Santa Rosa today at 1:00 p.m., they will be looking to improve on their previous performance and capitalize on their strong rushing game. With players like Cannon Walton and Wyatt Berry leading the charge, Raton will need to execute better in the second half to stand a chance against a strong Santa Rosa squad, led by Josh Cordova and a stout defense. Santa Rosa will be looking to extend their winning streak and maintain their undefeated district record, coming into this playoff game with a confident momentum.

Conclusion

This high school football playoff game is bound to be a thrilling encounter. With both teams showcasing potent offenses and solid defenses, the result will come down to who can execute better under playoff pressure. Raton will need to improve their scoring consistency and defend against Santa Rosa’s balanced attack to pull off an upset. Fans of both teams will be watching closely as the action unfolds today.