Valley scores late, earns first win of 2025

SPORTS BHS-VHS B-QB.JPG — Belen junior quarterback Gonzalo "Chalito" Cano drops back to pass against District 1-5A foes Valley Saturday in Belen.

20250913-spt-aasmfb-4 — Albuquerque Academy's Finn Thompson, left, pushes St. Michael's Brayden Hollis out of bounds as he catches a pass during the first quarter of their game played at St. Michael's, in Santa Fe, Saturday, September 13, 2025.

James Yodice James Yodice James Yodice Journal Staff Report

Published September 13, 2025 - 4:52 p.m. Modified September 14, 2025 - 10:23 a.m.

BELEN — Valley’s first victory of the 2025 prep football season couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Vikings (1-3), having to make a major adjustment on the fly after their starting quarterback got injured in the fourth quarter, went down the field and scored a late touchdown to defeat Belen 25-22 in a District 1-5A opener on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s very important,” Valley coach Billy Cobos said. “We don’t want to lose that first district game. That puts us behind the 8-ball.”

The game had been scheduled for Friday night, but was pushed back a day due to expected inclement weather.

And this victory was not secured for the Vikings until junior Malachi Chestnut recovered a Belen fumble just as the Eagles were inside the Valley 10-yard line and nearing a go-ahead touchdown with about a minute to go.

Zach Perez, called into duty at QB after starter Jose Jaramillo went down, scored on a short run out of the Wildcat formation to put Valley in front. The Vikings missed the PAT, leaving Belen (1-3) a chance to either tie or win the game with a final drive.

“Coming out party (for Zach),” Cobos said. “He put the team on his back.”

Belen had taken a 22-19 mere moments earlier.

Valley led the game 13-0 early, but the contest became a back-and-forth affair from there, with Belen leading 14-13, then Valley leading 19-14, then Belen taking a 22-19 lead just past the midway mark of the fourth quarter.

MANZANO 29, HOPE CHRISTIAN 14: At Wilson Stadium, senior quarterback Bodi True threw a pair of touchdown passes and rushed for a third as the Monarchs (3-1) handed the Huskies (3-1) their first loss of the season.

GADSDEN 42, MAYFIELD 21: At the Field of Dreams, the Panthers (4-0) beat the Trojans (0-4) in a District 2-5A opener that was originally scheduled Friday night but postponed until Saturday.

After never having beaten Mayfield before, Gadsden – one of two remaining undefeated teams in Class 5A, the other being Los Alamos – the Panthers have won this rivalry game in consecutive years.

ST. MICHAEL’S 50, ABQ ACADEMY 21: In Santa Fe, Isaiah Dominguez scored four touchdowns as Class 3A’s top-ranked team (4-0) defeated Class 4A’s Chargers (2-2).

Dominguez scored three times on the ground, including an 88-yard touchdown. He also returned a kick 95 yards to set up another St. Michael’s score.

ALSO SATURDAY: Miya- mura (2-2) won a District 1-5A opener, 27-0 over Rio Grande (0-4) at Milne Stadium. … Class 4A’s fifth-ranked (3-1) Grants polished off a 54-0 win over Espanola Valley in a District 1-4A opener, a contest that began Friday night before being suspended and resumed on Saturday afternoon.