Week 3 Sights and Sounds: Las Cruces-Rio Rancho Recap and Video

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>RIO RANCHO – <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro']</strong> owned the fourth quarter. Specifically, the last five minutes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Amaro, a dynamic running back and kick returner for Las Cruces, returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown with just under five minutes remaining to give the Bulldawgs the lead for good against Rio Rancho.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Then, after Las Cruces broke up a fourth down pass, Amaro got the ball on nearly every play of a game-sealing TD drive that produced the final seven points with 26 seconds left in Bulldawgs' impressive 34-21 road victory over Rio Rancho at Rams Stadium.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Las Cruces improved to 2-1, while Rio Rancho fell to 2-1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first half was dominated by lengthy, time-consuming drives by both teams. Rio Rancho QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='613752' first='JJ' last='Arellano']</strong> connected with talented tight end <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1198532' first='David' last='Butler']</strong> for a 36-yard TD pass with 3:45 left in the first quarter for a 6-0 Rans lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Amaro's 14-yard TD run gave Las Cruces a 7-6 lead with 25 seconds left in the first quarter. The Bulldawgs increased the lead to 14-6 on QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='853029' first='Gunnar' last='Guardiola']</strong>'s well-thrown TD pass to WR <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='615455' first='Nate' last='Libby']</strong> in the left corner of the end zone, capping an 18-play drive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rio Rancho responded with a 15-play drive that resulted in Arellano's 20-yard TD pass to WR <strong>Jace Pitts</strong>. The 2-point conversion attempt failed, giving Las Cruces a 14-12 halftime edge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rams booted a 37-yard field goal on the opening possession of the third quarter to take a short-lived 15-14 lead. But Amaro rumbled 65 yards for a TD on the Bulldawgs' first snap of the second half as Las Cruces regained the lead, 21-15.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Amaro finished the contest with well over 100 yards rushing. For a while, Rio Rancho RB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1604705' first='Micah' last='Takahashi']</strong> matched Amaro yard-for-yard in the first half. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Arellano, who threw for 212 yards and 2 TD, scored on a QB keeper to tie the score at 21-21 with 3:13 left in the third quarter. He finished with 44 rushing yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The score remained knotted at 21-21 when the fourth quarter began, setting the stage for Amaro and the climatic final five minutes. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 1: Team Runout and Coin Toss</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/x7b-gZ7FpZM?si=RNZpmD-ITCc1NPPO","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/x7b-gZ7FpZM?si=RNZpmD-ITCc1NPPO </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 2: First Quarter (Rio Rancho TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/fV_qRuXrekg?si=0CAA7ghJ9KgCft7k","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/fV_qRuXrekg?si=0CAA7ghJ9KgCft7k </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 3: (First Quarter - Las Cruces TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/1rIlGihzelo?si=S42SLBmSDIS3U784","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/1rIlGihzelo?si=S42SLBmSDIS3U784 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 4: Second Quarter (Las Cruces TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/xKQ-mzC7mFQ?si=9bFaEvFIzYyxEn34","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/xKQ-mzC7mFQ?si=9bFaEvFIzYyxEn34 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 5: Second Quarter (Rio Rancho TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/9vMNnLOh5SU?si=G2kcFga5G3TLEcz9","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/9vMNnLOh5SU?si=G2kcFga5G3TLEcz9 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>VIDEO 6: Third Quarter (Rio Rancho FG)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/yGUmTHyXlw8?si=H5us9-WpUupmeuKa","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/yGUmTHyXlw8?si=H5us9-WpUupmeuKa </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>VIDEO 7: Third Quarter (Rio Rancho TD)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/ssxZ839FwYg?si=jzoHL-ghnwakISXN","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/ssxZ839FwYg?si=jzoHL-ghnwakISXN </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 8: Early Fourth Quarter</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/-dDRJvJJuis?si=4wX14lfXtJQrNFCQ","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/-dDRJvJJuis?si=4wX14lfXtJQrNFCQ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 9: Fourth Quarter (Punt Return for TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/yNTO-gFkL-Q?si=U9WHTFZ6ph576pqB","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/yNTO-gFkL-Q?si=U9WHTFZ6ph576pqB </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO: Fourth Quarter (Final Las Cruces TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/9-e9gMkxYQE?si=JZ_J0xc7i3SdZ3aB","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/9-e9gMkxYQE?si=JZ_J0xc7i3SdZ3aB </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM/status/1832265610329260479","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM/status/1832265610329260479 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->