The Sudan Hornets’ varsity football team closed out the regular season on Friday with a road victory over the Ralls Jackrabbits, 36-14.
With the win, the Hornets finish the regular season 6-4, 3-2 in district play.
The Hornets totaled 366 yards of offense, including 246 rushing yards and 120 passing yards.
Sudan got the ball to begin the contest and put together an impressive opening drive, taking the ball all the way down inside the 10-yard line, but on fourth and goal from the six-yard line, Jaibryn Ornelas was stopped short of the goal line for a turnover on downs with 8:07 left to play in the opening quarter.
Ralls took over pinned deep in their own territory, but they would pick up a first down on their first play from scrimmage, as Dominique Villalba carried the ball around the left side, taking it up to their 16-yard line. Their drive, though, would stall out after a series of runs and they lined up to go for it on fourth and one from their own 25-yard line, but a false start penalty would back them up five yards and force a punt from Gunner Hitt.
Sudan would take over at the Ralls 49-yard line, as Cal Carter called his own number on first down, picking up a yard on the play. On the next play, Marcello King broke through the left side for a 48-yard touchdown run with 5:11 left to play in the quarter. The two-point conversion run by King was no good, leaving the score, 60.
Ralls muffed the next kick-off, but it was covered by Evan Ybarra at their own 22-yard line.
After being stopped for a oneyard loss on first down, Caden Cargile carried the ball on second down, drawing a facemask penalty, taking the ball up to their 42-yard line to give the Jackrabbits a fresh set of downs. The Sudan defense, though, would tighten up, and force Ralls to go three-and-out. Ralls lined up to punt on fourth and six, but Hitt took off running to the left, before he was brought down by the Hornet defense short of the line to gain for a turnover on downs with 2:04 to play in the first quarter.
Sudan took over at the Rabbits 48-yard line, as King carried it up the middle for two yards. Carter hit Ornelas on a pass to the right to make it third and one and King would move the chains on the next play, taking it up the middle to the Ralls 36-yard line. Carter picked up a yard on first down, before hitting Aspen Reyher on the next play, making it third and four as the first quarter came to a close.
King opened the second frame with a run to the left, moving the chains and taking it down to the Ralls 20-yard line. On the next play, Angel Martinez would break loose up the middle for the 20-yard touchdown run with 11:22 to play in the half. The two-point conversion run was good, after a second effort from King to stretch the lead to, 14-0.
Cargile fielded a short kick-off from Sudan, giving Ralls the ball at their own 44-yard line to begin their next drive, but they were unable to get anything going offensively. A run by Sergio De La Cruz had the Jackrabbits facing a third and one, but a fumble on the snap was covered by Ralls for a loss on the play, forcing a punt with 10:03 to play in the first half.
Sudan got the ball back at their own 49-yard line, as Ornelas caught a pass from Carter taking it down to the nine-yard line to set up first and goal for the Hornets. King picked up six yards on the first down run, but on the next play, Carter was sacked by Hitt, backing them up to the 11-yard line. King carried the ball on third and goal, moving it back up to the six-yard line, as Sudan called a time out to set up their fourth down play.
They would go for it on fourth and goal from the six, as Ornelas connected with Carter for the sixyard touchdown pass with 7:47 to play in the half. The two-point conversion run by Ornelas was good, pushing their lead to, 22-0.
After a series of turnovers by both teams, Carter was picked off by Cargile in the closing seconds of the half, to take the game into halftime with Sudan in front, 22-0.
Ralls got the ball at their own 47yard line to open the second half, and they would take it all the way down to the Sudan 13-yard line before Cargile’s pass on fourth and three fell incomplete for a turnover on downs with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter.
Sudan was unable to string together a drive on their opening possession of the second half, as King punted it away with 5:43 to play in the quarter.
Ralls too over at their own 33yard line using a series of runs from De La Cruz, Ybarra and Cargile, they marched down the field and on first and goal from the eight-yard line, Ybarra punched it in for the touchdown to get the Jackrabbits on the board with seven seconds to play in the third quarter. The two-point conversion run was good by Ralls, trimming the lead to, 22-8.
Sudan recovered an onside kick try at their own 37-yard line and King carried the ball on first down taking it down to the Ralls 48-yard line to close out the third quarter. Martinez opened the fourth quarter with a first-down run, gashing the defense for 18 yards, moving the chains again for Sudan.
Carter was sacked for a six-yard loss on first down by Jesse Navarette, but Martinez would give five-yards back on a run to the left, making it third and 11 from the Ralls 31-yard line. Sudan drew an offsides penalty to make it third and six and King took a run around the right side to make it fourth and one from the 20-yard line, as the Hornets called a time out to talk things over.
Out of the break, they lined up to go for it, as King carried it up the middle for 10 yards to set up first and goal. On the next play, Martinez would finish off the drive with a 10yard touchdown run with 8:36 left to play. The two-point conversion pass to Ornelas was good, stretching the lead to, 30-8.
A flag on the Hornets on the kickoff set the Jackrabbits up with first and 10 from the Sudan 37-yard line, as De La Cruz carried it up the middle to set up first and goal from the eight-yard line for Ralls. Ybarra punched it in for the eight-yard score on the next play to cut into the lead with 8:03 to play in the game. The two-point conversion run by Cargile was no good leaving the score, 30-14. after the play, Ralls was flagged forcing them to kick off from their own 25-yard line.
Sudan recovered the onside kick attempt at the Ralls 37-yard line to begin their next drive.
Carter kept the ball on first down picking up two yards and King picked up another four yards, making it third and four. On third down, Martinez carried the ball around the left side for a 31-yard touchdown with 6:22 to play. The two-point conversion was no good, making the score, 36-14.
Ralls would put together a nice drive on their next possession, but on fourth and 19 Hitt connected with Cargile, who took it down near the first down marker, but after a measurement, the Jackrabbits were short for a turnover on downs with 1:39 left to play.
Sudan would kneel it to kill the clock, as they took the contest, 3614.
Offensively, Carter finished the game 7-13 passing for 114 yards and one interception, while Ornelas was 1-1 for six yards and one touchdown.
King led the rushing attack with 18 carries for 132 yards and one touchdown, while Martinez tallied five carries for 90 yards and three touchdowns and Carter added 12 carries for 16 yards. Ornelas finished with two carries for eight yards.
In the receiving game, Carter caught one pass for six yards and a touchdown, while Ornelas hauled in three catches for 62 yards and Reyher tallied three catches for 38 yards. Granados contributed one catch for 14 yards.
Defensively, Kauffman led the team in tackles with 14, while Granados and Kincaid Boehning each contributed 12 tackles and Westen Cannon and King each finished with eight tackles. Zach Montes tallied seven tackles and Ornelas, Michael Williams and Gabe Lopez all notched six tackles in the contest.
The Hornets will clash with Farwell in Muleshoe on Friday in the Class 2A Bi-district round of the Football Play-offs.
Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m.