The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity football team wasted no time getting the 2026 season started, as they throttled Lamesa in their home-opener, 60-6.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 1-0 overall on the year.
The Golden Tornadoes got the ball to begin the contest, taking over on offense at their own 36-yard line. They went backwards on first down, after a false start penalty, pushed them back five yards, and three plays later, on third and 12, Ty Martinez was picked off by junior, Sammy Saenz, who returned the ball up to the Lamesa 26-yard line with 10:37 to play in the opening quarter.
On the very next play, Saenz would connect with senior receiver, Jayden Barrio, on a screen to the right side, as he cut it up field for the 26-yard touchdown. Barrio booted the PAT through the uprights to put the Wildcats in front, 7-0.
Lamesa would take over for their next possession at their own 37-yard line, after a short kick off from senior, AJ Cantu. But, faced with a fourth and two at their own 45-yard line, Martinez’s pass for Jadyn Jaramillo fell incomplete for a turnover on downs with just under nine minutes to go in the first quarter.
Littlefield took over at the Lamesa 45-yard line, as Saenz kept it himself for seven yards on first down. Junior, Jonas Camacho followed it up with a run up the middle, taking the ball down to the 22-yard line for a fresh set of downs for the Wildcats. On the next play, Saenz would drop back and hit Barrio down the far sideline for the 22yard touchdown with 8:01 left to play in the quarter. The PAT from Barrio was good, pushing their lead to, 14-0.
Lamesa took over after the kick-off from Cantu at their own 11-yard line, looking to generate some momentum on offense.
The Golden Tornadoes would do just that, as they used a combination of run and pass plays to take the ball all the way down inside the Littlefield 10yard line. But, on first and goal, Martinez was picked off by senior cornerback, Gabe Mata, to give the Wildcats the ball at their own four-yard line with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter.
After a run by senior, Blayton Soliz, was stuffed on first down, Saenz dropped back looking for Mata; the pass fell incomplete, but a defensive pass interference call was called on Lamesa, moving the ball up to the 18-yard line to give Littlefield a fresh set of downs. Lamesa took a time out with 4:08 remaining in the first quarter, and out of the break, Saenz connected with Soliz on a screen to the left for a big chunk of yards. The Wildcats followed it up with back-to-back runs from Saenz and Soliz to make it second and seven at the Lamesa 49-yard line.
The drive would stall out, as the Wildcats were forced to punt with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter.
Lamesa would go threeand- out on their next possession, and after taking over at the Golden Tornadoes 38yard line, back-to-back runs by Camacho took the game into the second frame with Littlefield up two scores.
On third and four, Saenz connected with Barrio on a screen to the right, as he broke through the defense for the 3 3-yard touchdown with 11:49 to play in the half.
The PAT was good, putting the Wildcats on top, 21-0.
Lamesa would go three-andout again, giving the ball back to Littlefield at the Wildcats’ 26-yard line, but Littlefield’s momentum came to a screeching halt, as a screen pass by Saenz was picked off by Lamesa with 9:33 to play in the half.
The Wildcat defense would lock in for a big stop on fourth and two, as Martinez’s pass fell incomplete looking for Julian Marmolejo for a turnover on downs with 7:22 to play in the half.
The Wildcat offense would get back on track during their next possession, as back-toback runs from Saenz and Camacho gave the Wildcats a fresh set of downs with the ball spotted at their own 35-yard line. The drive would stall out, and on fourth and one the Wildcats elected to go for it, rushing to the line. Saenz took a quarterback sneak up the middle, breaking loose from the pile for a 43-yard touchdown run with 5:46 remaining in the half. The PAT was good, pushing the lead to, 28-0.
Lamesa couldn’t get anything going offensively, as they were forced to punt the ball away with just under four minutes to play in the first half.
The Wildcats took over at their own 24-yard line, as Camacho took three consecutive carries up the middle, moving the ball up to their 47-yard line. Saenz connected with Barrio on first down for eight yards and Camacho followed it up with another carry to move the chains for Littlefield.
Three plays later, a holding penalty backed the Wildcats up to second and long from midfield, but Saenz found Cantu with a shovel pass to pick up a few yards, making it third and 12 just inside Lamesa territory, as the Golden Tornadoes took a time out to talk things over.
Out of the break, Saenz found Camacho on the right side for a solid gain to give the Wildcats a first down. A few plays later, Saenz would hit Barrio on a slant route for an 11-yard touchdown, his fourth of the half. The PAT was blocked by Lamesa, leaving the score, 34-0, going into the locker room at halftime.
The Wildcat received the ball to open the second half, but were flagged for a holding penalty, making it first and 12 from their own 34yard line. After a pass on first down fell incomplete to Mata, Soliz took a carry up the middle for seven yards and on the next play, Saenz carried the ball up the middle, but the Wildcats were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play, making it first and 10 from their own 31 -yard line.
Saenz connected with Mata on a screen to the left to move the chains for Littlefield, as the Golden Tornadoes took a time out with 10:43 to play in the third quarter. Out of the break, Soliz took a carry up the middle for another first down and two plays later, Saenz and Barrio connected for a 17-yard touchdown, their fifth connection of the night.
The two-point conversion was no good, leaving the score, 40-0, with just under 10 minutes to go in the quarter.
Lamesa took over at their own 30-yard line and was finally able to generate some offense, as they marched 70 yards, capping off the drive with an 11 -yard touchdown pass, as Martinez found Jaramillo for the score with 4:23 remaining in the third.
The two-point conversion was no good, leaving the score, 40-6.
After punts from both teams, Littlefield took over a the Lamesa 49-yard line.
They needed just four plays to find the endzone once more, as Saenz hit Beanes for a 30-yard touchdown pass with 1:24 to play in the quarter. The PAT from Barrio was good, pushing the lead to, 47-6.
The Golden Tornadoes next drive took the game into the fourth quarter, but facing a fourth and nine, Martinez’s pass fell incomplete for a turnover on downs with 8:53 to play in the game.
The Wildcats’ next drive featured a heavy dose of Daniel Rojas on in the rushing attack, as they went 44yards, capping off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run by Rojas on fourth down to make the score, 54-6, after the PAT from Barrio with 2:50 left to play.
The next kick-off was fumbled by Lamesa and recovered by Cantu, to give Littlefield the ball at the Lamesa 39-yard line.
Brandon Espinoza would take a carry around the right side on first down, racing down the sideline for a 39yard touchdown, as Littlefield routed the Golden Tornadoes, 60-6.
Offensively, Saenz finished the game 14-23 passing for 227 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He also added six carries for 81 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Camacho tallied 15 carries for 73 yards, while Rojas added eight carries for 60 yards and a score and Soliz chipped in eight carries for 51 yards. Espinoza also added one carries for 39 yards and one touchdown.
Barrio led the receiving attack with five catches for 105 yards and five touchdowns, while Beanes caught two passes for 40 yards and one score. Mata contributed two catches for 46 yards, while Cantu tallied two catches for 19 yards and Fuentes added two catches for 12 yards.
Defensively, Saenz led the way with nine tackles, including one solo, and two for loss, while also adding an interception. Cantu tallied eight tackles, four solo and one for loss and he also recovered a fumble. Beanes and Jonah Ramirez each added six tackles, while Eddie Gomez chipped in five tackles and a forced fumble, and Mata contributed four tackles and an interception.