Page 6 Tuesday, September 23, 2014 The Chronicle-News Trinidad, Colorado

SPORTS

TRINIDAD FOOTBALLMiners’ comeback downs AlamosaBy Doc LeonettiCorrespondentThe Chronicle News

The Miners, on the road last Friday eve-ning, morphed from being a team of total leth-argy in an uninspired early effort to a team that sparked a second half comeback; impos-ing an ill will on the Alamosa Maroons.

On the road, the feisty Miners proved they have a ton of grit, and maybe just a little bit more. With a Frankenstein like transforma-tion, Trinidad, held scoreless in the first half, blasted the Maroons with 21 points in the third period, and then scored the winning touchdown on a gallop by Vance Ferrarro in the final quarter to notch their third win of the season, 27-21.

“We finally started playing some football in the second half,” said Coach Randy Be-gano. “We had a wakeup call. We played the same way in the first half as we did against Rye. Our defense was out of position and was not wrapping up their tackles. In the second half we came out hard at the line of scrim-mage. We forced them to fumble the ball several times to stop their drives. We finally started to play some good defensive football. Coming back like that, our kids showed a lot of character. We grew up a lot in that game. This one should help our kid’s confidence go-ing into the big game Friday.”

Four Miners contributed touchdowns. Ethan Duran carried the ball 20 times for 145 yards and a four-yard TD. Antonio Rivera ran seven times for 84 more yards and a 29-yard TD. And Thomas Bowman rambled 27 yards for a touchdown run in the critical third quarter. The quick scat back added a run for a two-point conversion. Sophomore quarter-back, Vance Ferraro, rumbled six yards in the final quarter for the winning touchdown with just three minutes remaining to seal the victory. The versatile Ferraro embellished his resume with 29 rushing yards on nine carries and was three-for-five passing for

42 more.“We’ll start conference play this week

against Florence,” added Begano, whose Miners will face the No. 2 ranked Huskies at home on Friday. “They’re tough, and they are a well coached team. We’ll have to come out and play good football again. We can’t just play half the game. We have to come out and play solid football all four quarters.”

The Miners, 3-1 on the season, will kickoff against Florence in their first Tri-Peaks East Conference game at 7 p.m.

“We came out and got it together in the sec-ond half,” explained assistant coach Frank Falsetto. “We came out with a totally differ-ent attitude in the final two periods. Randy made a heck of an adjustment speech at half time and the kids responded. They came out for the kickoff and set the tone. Alamosa at-tempted a fourth down play in their own ter-ritory and we stopped them. We came back and scored two touchdowns in four minutes. Justin Maldonado had a big hit on the open-ing kickoff that stopped them cold. That play turned it around. It set the tone for the second half. I was happy to see the kids respond. Sometimes they don’t, but they did last Fri-day. Alamosa is really a good team. We’re looking forward to Florence now. They lost to Lewis-Palmer last week, so they’ll be ready.”

With the exception of a collarbone in-jury to wide receiver/defensive back Izzy Manzanares, that will sideline him for six to eight weeks, the Miners escaped this one unscathed. “It was a big win for us,” said Fer-raro. “I’m real proud of my team. I feel good that we could pull it together. It was real emo-tional for us to come back in the second half. It’s too bad we lost Izzy, but we’ll work hard at keeping it all together. I wouldn’t want to have another team. They really got it go-ing. Now we have to get ready for Florence. We just have to stay focused and get better. We’ll work hard all week in practice. We’ll do the best we can to get ready. I love my team. I wouldn’t be able to do anything without them. They’re amazing. They came out and gave it their best shot, and we won.”

—Trinidad 0 0 21 6 — 27Alamosa 0 13 0 8 — 21

WILDCAT FOOTBALLAguilar wraps up homecoming with loss against CherawBy Adam SperandioThe Chronicle-news

The Aguilar Wildcats wrapped up their homecoming week by playing host to the Cheraw Wolverines Saturday afternoon in a non-conference matchup that saw Aguilar on the losing side by a final score of 62-6.

The Wolverines scored early and often on the Cats, putting up 34 points in the first quarter and chewing up over 350 yards of to-tal offense en route to their highest scoring output and second win of the season.

The bright spot for the Cats came from running back Richard Chacon. The fresh-man toted the rock 10 times for 58 yards in the contest, including a 25-yard touchdown run that put Aguilar on the board for the first time all season. He also chipped in with sev-en tackles defensively.

While the loss may sit uneasy in the stom-achs of some, just having a program back in Aguilar and being able to celebrate home-coming is a victory in itself, one Aguilar Su-perintendent Dr. Stacy Houser says can be seen in the overwhelming community sup-port and the strong sense of pride returning to the halls of Aguilar High School.

“It’s important to have a program because it brings positive impact to the school and the community,” Houser said. “It was important to get people excited and engaged. Homecom-ing was a great example. We had great com-munity support with the parade Thursday, more than we have had in the last couple of years; we had the bonfire for the volleyball and football teams and we had really good support from the kids and the community there as well. It has really strengthened the academic attitude, especially the boys in the ninth and tenth grade as well. They are al-ways working hard in the classroom doing whatever they can to stay eligible.”

The loss brings the Wildcats record to 0-4 on the season with three games left on their schedule. A bye this week will give Aguilar a couple of weeks to prepare for their next matchup against Southwest Conference foe, the La Veta Redskins on October 3.

Adam Sperandio / The Chronicle-NewsAguilar Wildcat running back Richard Chacon breaks loose of a Cheraw tackle Saturday after-noon in Aguilar. Chacon rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown, however it wouldn’t be enough as Cheraw easily defeated Aguilar 62-6.

By Mike SalbatoCorrespondentThe Chronicle-News

The Lady Trojan volleyball team is off to its best start in years as they moved to 11-6 after making quick work of Air Force Prep last Tuesday evening. The Huskies took the Trojans to four sets earlier this season, when the two teams faced off in La Junta, but this time it was all TSJC. Trinidad won by scores of 25-13, 25-17 and 25-20.

Eighteen Trojan players saw action in the contest with everyone putting up good statis-tical numbers. Overall, Nikita Nelson led the way with 12 kills in the contest and McKin-ley Romp finished with 13 digs. Freshmen setters Emmy Gazaway and Jordin Hanley combined for 25 assists, and Mariah Michael, Rachel Pirtle and Madison Scheppler each had three blocks.

“It’s great to get a win at home,” com-mented Coach Ellen McGill. “It was a great team win for us. We played well together and showed a lot of depth within our team.”

Last weekend the Lady Trojans were in Sterling, Colorado for the 31st Annual Pizza Hut Invitational. The long running tourna-ment showcases many of the powerhouse

teams in the Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska areas. Trinidad went 2-2 on the weekend, defeating Sheridan College and Laramie County CC but falling to North Platte CC and Northeast CC.

Sophomore Taylor Mansfield was named to the All-Tournament team for her outstand-ing play. She had 26 kills and 11 blocks over the two-day event. “Taylor has been a tremendous leader for us this year,” said McGill. “She is very deserving of the All-Tournament award. She has worked hard in the off-season and this season, so she could step up for the team in a big way. We are proud of her.”

The Lady Trojans play a tri-match this weekend before start-ing up Region IX play with a northern swing the following week-end. They will start in McCook, Nebraska on Thursday facing off with the 4-14 Indians. On Friday, they will return to Sterling to face 7-8 Northeastern Junior College and then on Saturday they will be in Scottsbluff, Nebraska to face No. 5 Western Nebraska (9-3). The team doesn’t return for a home game until October 9 when they face Mc-Cook.

Lady Trojans getting ready for Regional play

TSJC VOLLEYBALL

Photos courtesy Matt Young / TSJCTaylor Mansfield, at top, was recently selected to the Pizza Hut Invita-tional All-Tournament team. Jennifer Morris, above, (3) puts the ball up high for Hannah Reynolds (12) during the Trojans three-set win over the Huskies last Tuesday night.