Alamogordo, still undefeated, gets rare metro area win

Respect for Alamogordo Tigers football, especially from up north, has been hard to come by.

Whether they like it or not, that’s largely been due to a mix of scarce opportunity — they almost never play in the Albuquerque metro area — and a lack of winning big games in big moments.

Over the past eight days, the Tigers have done both.

Friday night, a week after knocking off perennial 5A power Roswell at home, respect hardly came easy for the Tigers.

But Nathanael Best made sure it did come.

The senior quarterback threw for a score and ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally the Tigers to a 31-20 win over Albuquerque High on Friday night at Milne Stadium, improving to 3-0 on the season.

“It’s big. You take on a quality Albuquerque High team that is very physical — Coach (Desmond) Anaya has done a great job with them,” said Alamogordo coach A.J. Cisco. “This was big for our program because it was a win, but also good for us even just to learn how to travel, because we’re gonna have travel in the playoffs.

“… So coming up here and playing well and overcoming some adversity of some mistakes from ourselves is a testament to our kids and the growth that we’ve had from last year to this year.”

Albuquerque High (2-1) was indeed physical — overwhelming the Tigers in the trenches early. The Bulldogs, led by senior Alberto Landeros’ 41 yards on eight carries, opened the game with a 13-play, 63-yard drive before stalling inside the 10 and settling for a field goal — a theme that would come back to haunt them.

The ensuing drive was a three-and-out for Alamogordo — again the Bulldogs linemen looking the part of bullies early on.

But Alamogordo, and Best, would shake off the rough start, not punting again in the game.

A shanked Albuquerque High punt from deep in their end of the field set up a 20-yard Alamo scoring drive — a two-yard Bryson Bloom touchdown run — for a 6-3 lead early in the second quarter. The score was followed by the first of four failed conversions in the game for the Tigers.

Albuquerque High had another 13-play drive stall in the red zone, leading to Gabriel Fernandez kicking a second field goal, this one from 33 yards, for a 6-6 score.

Best led the Tigers on an 80-yard, 11-play scoring drive aided by a pass interference penalty and hit Tristan Bowman for an 11-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline on a pass that first went through a defender’s hands.

Alamo led 12-6 at the half.

Bowman took the opening kick of the second half 93 yards for a score and an 18-6 lead.

But the Bulldogs’ 1-2 punch of Landeros (25 carries, 132 yards) and quarterback Andre Martin (130 passing yards and a score) pushed Albuquerque in front 20-18 going into the fourth quarter.

That’s when Best rushed for a pair of four-yard touchdown runs with 11:55 left and 3:13 remaining.

“We’ll enjoy this (bus) ride home, go ring the bell (at the Alamogordo High School football field) and then bounce to the next one,” Best said. “We’re ready for the long haul. Week by week, 1-0 every week. That’s what we’re working for.”

Alamogordo is at Piedra Vista in Farmington next week. Albuquerque High is at Santa Fe in their district opener.

Alamogordo football vs. Albuquerque High: Photos