Englewood – After an 0-3 start last season, Alamosa’s confidence level hovered somewhere below sea level.
A 14-3 nonleague victory over Englewood in the season opener Friday night may not have the Mean Moose’s spirits soaring up around Mount Everest, but they are at least as high as Six Flags’ Magic Mountain.
“That was quite a ride. That pumps up our confidence a lot,” Alamosa tight end Dustin Bolt said.
Bolt found himself wide open along the left sideline for a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Clay Garcia with 7:58 to play in the fourth quarter, putting Alamosa (1-0) up by the final margin.
Englewood (0-1) was its own worst enemy by racking up 80 yards in penalties, many at crucial moments.
“Penalties just killed us. First of all, Alamosa played a great football game. But you just can’t do what we did,” Englewood coach Randy Penn said.
Garcia finished the game 16-of-32 for 183 yards, and Jason Espinoza rushed for 35 yards and caught seven passes for 68 yards. Running back Sonny Yohn gained 32 yards on 10 carries and scored the opening touchdown.
For Englewood, Brandan Wright gained 92 yards on 19 carries, with all but 20 of those yards coming in the first half.
“We started last season 0-3, and to go home victorious is great. This was one team we wanted to play first,” Garcia said.
The Mean Moose took a 7-0 halftime lead courtesy of an Englewood late hit on punt returner Espinoza. It was one of three first-half personal fouls by the Pirates, and that one set up Alamosa 15 yards from the end zone. Four plays later, Yohn scored on a run off the right side from 3 yards out.
On the next drive, Englewood squashed its own chance to score with a personal foul after a run by Wright. The penalty pushed the Pirates out of scoring range and forced the fourth Englewood punt in as many drives.
“Englewood started off real strong. Once they got those penalties, it messed them up,” Espinoza said.
In the second half, Englewood got its only score on a 34-yard field goal by Jairin Potter, who also played quarterback. But Bolt’s touchdown catch came on the next drive.
An interception and fumble on Englewood’s next two series ended any chance for a comeback.
Alamosa 0 7 0 7 – 14
Englewood 0 0 3 0 – 3
A – Yohn 3 run (Marquez kick). E – FG Potter 34. A – Bolt 27 pass from Garcia (Marquez kick).
