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Broncos bowled over

By Darren Vaughan The Daily Times

Posted: 12/02/2007 12:00:00 AM MST

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Kirtland Central's Kyle Williams is tackled by Artesia's Tyler McCormick during a Class 4A semifinal game Saturday at Kirtland Central High School.

Kirtland vs. Artesia
Click play below to see video highlights from the Kirtland-Artesia state semi-final game.

KIRTLAND — The rain projected to fall throughout Saturday's Class 4A semifinal never really materialized in Kirtland.

At the rate Artesia quarterback Landry Jones was going, it would have taken much more than that to slow down the top-ranked Bulldogs (10-2). Jones, who will move on to play for the University of Oklahoma next season, completed 12-of-20 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score to lead Artesia to a 42-0 win over Kirtland Central (8-5) and into next week's Class 4A championship game against Goddard.

"I'm just savoring this win," said Jones, who led an impressive attack that burned up the turf at Kirtland Central High School for 431 yards of total offense. "We came out and played the way we're capable of playing."

The Broncos came into the contest knowing they had to control the clock and keep Jones off the field to have a chance. Kirtland was unable to do that in the early going, and it ultimately put the Broncos in a hole they couldn't get out of.

"(Artesia's) just one hell of a team," said Kirtland coach Bill Cawood, who coached the final game of his storied career. "They're well-coached, and they have a tradition and a program that's unparalleled in the state. It's a pleasure to play them."

Artesia wasted no time showing the offensive talent that has it ranked as Class 4A's top dogs. On the Bulldogs' fourth play from scrimmage, Jones pitched the ball to slotback Derek Montoya, who took it around the right side on an

innocent-looking play. The problems for Kirtland began when the play became anything but routine, as Montoya tossed a lateral to fellow slotback Coly Hokett. Hokett used a burst of speed to leave the Kirtland defense in his wake en route to a 61-yard touchdown, putting Artesia on top 7-0 less than two minutes in.

After earning the early edge, the Bulldogs defense quickly did its job by forcing KC into a three-and-out. Artesia's offense displayed its quick-strike ability, using a 54-yard hookup between Jones and Hokett to get to the Broncos' 3-yard line. On the next play, Steven Polito put the 'Dogs up 13-0.

"We knew Kirtland Central had a solid football team and that the game was going to be decided in the trenches," Artesia coach Cooper Henderson said. "I thought we started out the day quite well in that area and I'm real pleased with our effort."

With a two-touchdown deficit, Kirtland's offense came to life on the ensuing possession. Senior running back Joe Tanner had six carries for 58 yards to help the Broncos get down to Artesia's 1-yard line. The Broncos seemingly were on the brink of getting right back into the game, but the Bulldogs' defenders dug in. Tanner came agonizingly close to scoring on third and fourth downs, but Artesia kept him from crossing the goal line.

"It was exciting to be here, but it was disappointing how it ended," Kirtland quarterback Andrew Duncan said after his senior season came to a close. "We had a lot of good games, but we just had this one bad game. I wish we could go back."

Jones then led a back-breaking 18-play, 99-yard drive to crush Kirtland's momentum. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior showed the leadership skills that drew Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops to offer him a scholarship, completing 7-of-12 passes for 78 yards during a possession that ate up the rest of the first quarter and more than three minutes of the second. The drive culminated with a 13-yard scoring toss to Jacob Olivas, putting the Bulldogs up 19-0.

"I knew that Kirtland Central was a good team," Jones said. "If we just come out and execute, we're pretty dangerous on offense. We wanted to get a big lead and help out our defense as much as possible."

After another Broncos drive stalled, Jones led Artesia to a score while showing his athleticism. On second-and-10 from the Bulldogs' 47, Jones scrambled around the right side. As he came down the sideline, the defense closed in. Rather than simply stepping out of bounds, Jones opted to hurdle over a would-be tackler en route to a 24-yard gain. Three plays later, Jones scampered in from 3 yards out for a 25-0 lead.

"We're fortunate that the group of young men that we have this year is very talented," Henderson said. "This group keeps me surprised by making plays."

Artesia's Louis Reyes put an exclamation point on the Bulldogs' first-half explosion, stepping in front of a Duncan pass and returning it 85 yards for another TD. After halftime, the Bulldogs simply tried to keep the game moving, though they were able to add a 39-yard touchdown run by Olivas and a 34-yard field goal by Manny Larez.

While the score ended up lopsided, it wasn't without its bright spots for the Broncos. Tanner concluded his career with a 22-carry, 133-yard effort, while Duncan led Kirtland deep into Artesia territory on several occasions.

The loss caps an impressive season for Kirtland, which finished second in District 1-4A and won eight of its final 11 contests.

"These guys allowed me to do something that I've loved for a lot of years," Cawood concluded. "(The scoreboard) doesn't determine winners and losers. What's in your heart determines winners and losers, and this is a team full of winners."

Darren Vaughan: dvaughan@daily-times.com

No. 1 Artesia 42, No. 5 Kirtland Central 0

Artesia 13 19 7 3 — 42

Kirtland Central 0 0 0 0 — 0

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

A — Coly Hokett 61 run (Manny Larez kick) 10:02

A — Steven Polito 3 run (kick blocked) 7:52

Second Quarter

A — Jacob Olivas 13 pass from Landry Jones (pass failed) 8:41

A — Jones 3 run (Larez kick) 3:01

A — Louis Reyes 85 interception return (kick failed) 0:25