The Highland High School Hornets and the Cibola High School Cougars went up and down the field, battling each other Thursday. In the end the Cougars came away with a 28-25 victory in the first varsity action of the season for both teams. The Cougars started the game on offense in a Wing T formation with quarterback Michael Kozemchak pitching the ball to Joe Martinez on the second play.
Martinez ran to the 39 yard line for a first down. But on the next play Martinez' fumble was recovered by David Brown to give Highland possession of the ball. Hornet quarterback Dylan Chavez completed two passes for short gains, including one to Julian Sanchez who was tackled abruptly by Gabe Salazar. Chavez handed off to Sanchez on two successive plays. Sanchez was tackled by Cougar Skyler Smith to give the ball back to Cibola.
Running back Mark Tapia picked up 12 yards on a carry for the Cougars. Martinez ran for a first down before being pushed out of bounds at the Highland 35 yard line. Salazar, who made impressive stops on defense for the Cougars, contributed to the running game by carrying the ball to the Hornet's 15 yard line. But the referees threw a flag on the play. They said Cibola's offensive line was in motion on the play. So the ball was moved back to the 25 yard line.
Tapia and Salazar kept on carrying the ball and got it to the Highland 11 yard line on third down. Cibola's offensive line was called for holding on the next running play to move the ball back to the 20 yard line. Quarterback Kozemchak kept the ball himself and carried it to field goal range. Brody Botz attempted to kick the field goal but he was wide left.
When the Hornets got possession of the ball Chavez tried a running play to the left but the Cibola defense stopped it for no gain. On the next play the Hornets were called for a false start and the penalty was declined by the Cougars. On third and nine Michael Wilkinson sacked Chavez forcing Highland to punt on fourth and long. Brown put his foot into the ball and punted it 60 yards. David Garcia returned it for the Cougars.
Cibola was called for holding on a running play by Martinez and the Cougars were at the 45 yard line with 1st and 17 yards to go for a first down. Kozemchak went back on a pass attempt but he was sacked by the blitzing James Romero. Kozemchak was rushed again on the next play causing him to overthrow a pass to Fred Castaneda. Then Hornet Brown who recovered a fumble earlier, intercepted a pass attempt by the Cibola quarterback giving the ball back to Highland.
On the first play, Damon Pate was called for a false start. Then quarterback Chavez rolled out to his right and attempted a pass downfield to Jesse Ortega but it was incomplete. Chavez attempted a run but can only gain a few yards as he's tackled by Dane Fragger. The Cougars blitz Chavez on the next play. It seems the blitz leaves a receiver uncovered and Chavez is able to throw downfield for a big gain.
On third and six, Chavez completed a pass to Brown on an out route even though he was covered by Martinez. The referees called Wilkinson for a face mask on Brown on the tackle making it first and goal at the Cibola two yard line. Sanchez carries it into the end zone for a touchdown but Ortega missed the extra point attempt. Highland leads 6 to 0 with 2:43 left in the first quarter. Tapia brings the kickoff back to the 22 yard line. But he wasn't finished yet. Tapia burst into the open field on a running play and the Hornets couldn't tackle him. He ran 78 yards for a touchdown. Botz kicked the extra point for Cibola and the Cougars were leading 7-6.
Chavez completed a nine yard pass to Ortega when Highland got the ball back. But the Hornets couldn't advance the ball any further. Cougar Dominic Raimondi made the stop on a running play. And Fragger broke up a pass attempt by Chavez. Fragger switched to the offensive side of the ball at the start of the second quarter and gained close to a first down on a running play. Hornet Alex Mercer tackled Salazar on the next play but not until he carried the ball to the Highland 20 yard line. Tapia ran the ball to the five yard line as the Cougars continued to rely on their running game.
Cibola committed a costly penalty on the next play. Tapia plunged into the end zone for a score but the play was called back on a false start by the offensive line. Then Tapia carried the ball on a sweep to the left but he fumbled and Brown recovered his second fumble of the game in the end zone. Highland quarterback Chavez carried the ball for seven yards when his team took over at the 20 yard line. But that was all the Hornets could do and they were forced to punt.
Cibola's Castaneda tried to field the punt but he missed the ball and Highland got it back at the Cougar 29 yard line. Chavez dropped back and threw it deep. He was intercepted on the play but luckily for the Hornets Cibola was called for defensive holding. Castaneda stops a Hornet run and the Cougars blitz Chavez forcing a 4th down with 6:29 left in the half. Ortega catches the ball at the five yard line on a pass from Chavez. Then the Hornets score on a speed option run around the right side.
Hornet coach Gary Sanchez decided to go for the two point conversion but his team got called for a false start on the play. The Hornets led 12 to 7 at the half. Cibola started off the third quarter with an excellent return from Martinez who brought the kickoff back. On second down with seven yards to go at the 43 yard line Tapia lost two yards on a run and Hornet Pate knocked down a Cibola pass attempt..
So Skyler Smith punted to Highland's Ajante Jones who was tackled almost immediately by Castaneda.. Then Smith stopped Chavez on a running play and on third and long Chavez threw an incomplete pass. Castaneda returned Highland's punt to the Hornet's 23 yard line. Salazar ran it to the 11 yard line and then to the two yard line before finally carrying the ball into the end zone. The extra point attempt was good and Cibola led 14-12.
At the start of the third quarter, Brown ran the kickoff back to Cibola's 29 yard line. But Chavez was sacked for a six yard loss while trying to pass. Cibola got the ball back when a Chavez pass bounced off of Sanchez and was intercepted by Castaneda. Tapia and Salazar ran the ball inside the Highland five yard line on three running plays. Hornet Romero stopped a run by Salazar at the three yard line and a pitch to Martinez went nowhere as the Hornet defense stiffened.
It's first down and 10 yards to go for the Hornets at the Cibola 42 yard line. At third and eight from the 30 yard line, Chavez completed a pass to Ramon Garcia but he was ruled out of bounds on the catch. So Hornet Ortega is forced to punt and Castaneda makes a fair catch at the 36 yard line. Cibola makes it to Highland's 35 yard line on three running plays. Tapia runs the ball to the 32 yard line but Cibola's offensive line is off side. On a counter play Martinez carries the ball to the 19 yard line. Then Tapia takes it to the five yard line on two running plays.
With Cibola's offense in a Wing formation Salazar ran the ball to the two yard line on one play and then into the end zone for a touchdown. The successful kick on the extra point made the score 21-12 Cibola leading. Brown carried the ensuing kickoff to Cibola's 29 yard line. Chavez kept the ball and carried it to the 19 yard line as Smith brought him down with a shoestring tackle. But the Hornets can only get two yards closer as the third quarter ends.
Chavez started the fourth quarter with an incomplete pass to Brown. But on the next play he found DJ Pritchard in the end zone. The extra point cut Cibola's lead to 21-19 with 11 minutes left in the game. On the Cougar's next possession Salazar ran the ball through the Hornet's defense for a touchdown. Cibola added the extra point to take a 28-19 lead. The Hornets came back to score on the final play of the game to make the final score 28-25 in favor of Cibola.
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