Sights and Sounds: Storm Surge In 6A Title Game (Recap/Video)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>RIO RANCHO – </strong>When the game was on the line in the fourth quarter, the Cleveland Storm put their fate squarely into the hands of their powerful offensive line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The big guys delivered.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ahead 28-21, Cleveland took possession at its own 20 in the final minute of the third quarter. Running the ball over and over, and throwing only rarely, the Storm methodically drove the length of the field before <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1599859' first='Troy' last='Logan']</strong> bullied over from the 1-yard line with 2:34 left to give Cleveland a 35-21 lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Storm drained about 10 minutes off the clock as the O-Line, led by Utah commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='851862' first='Moses' last='Sparks']</strong>, dominated the trenches. By the time the Las Cruces offense got the ball back, they had enough time to score a quick touchdown to cut the deficit to 35-28 with under a minute left but Cleveland WR <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1651252' first='Ajay' last='Vigil']</strong> recovered the onsides kick and the Storm were able to run out the clock.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cleveland (12-1) won its second consecutive Class 6A title and fifth in the last six full seasons (excluding the cancelled 2020 season). Las Cruces competed in the 6A championship game for the first time since 2016. The Bulldawgs last won a state championship in 2013.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Storm led, 21-14, at halftime when Cleveland quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='851873' first='Jordan' last='Kekoa Hatch'] </strong>rolled to his right and hit wide receiver <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1613490' first='Evan' last='Nanez']</strong> on a touchdown pass in the right corner of the end zone with just 9.9 seconds left in the second quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Storm doubled its lead late in the third quarter when they drove 60+ yards in nine plays after sacking Las Cruces QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='853029' first='Gunnar' last='Guardiola']</strong> on fourth down. Running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1600936' first='Samuel' last='Bustillos']</strong> (200+ rushing yards) scored on an 8-yard run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Las Cruces quickly responded with a two-play TD drive – a long pass completion to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142363' first='Francisco' last='Winnikoff']</strong> preceded <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137388' first='Daniel' last='Amaro']</strong>'s 16-yard TD run with 50.6 seconds left in the third quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That was the last time the Bulldawgs held the ball until 2-1/2 minutes remained in the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cleveland took a 7-0 lead with under five minutes left in the first quarter when Bustillos broke loose for a 28-yard TD run. Las Cruces responded with a scoring drive of its own with an 11-play, 70-yard TD drive capped by Amaro's 3-yard run through the right side.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Storm used a little trickery with a scoring play reminiscent of the Philly Special in the Super Bowl to take a 14-7 lead. Hatch pitched the ball to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='851903' first='Jacob' last='Maldonado']</strong>, who then tossed the TD pass to Hatch in the right corner of the end zone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Amaro added his second TD of the quarter on a 13-yard run to tie the score at 14-14 midway through the second quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the drive that culminated in Cleveland's TD in the final seconds before halftime, the Storm converted a fourth-and-4 from the Las Cruces 25 when hatch rolled out and hit Maldonado for a 7-yard gain.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY SCOREBOARD</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6A: Cleveland 35, Las Cruces 28 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5A: Artesia 25, Roswell 24 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4A: Bloomfield 58, St. Pius 27 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3A: St. Michael's 28, Dexter 21 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2A: Texico 42, Eunice 7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLEVELAND-LAS CRUCES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 1: Team Runouts</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/Ddx1fYrTPpo?si=rCzURVefAsWx_fAh","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/Ddx1fYrTPpo?si=rCzURVefAsWx_fAh </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 2: First Quarter (Cleveland TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/NmxG-o5amck?si=07GV4ogxD179aAEL","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/NmxG-o5amck?si=07GV4ogxD179aAEL </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 3: Late First Quarter</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/fNr52R2iEz0?si=F0ZVTra2cMttqhEz","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/fNr52R2iEz0?si=F0ZVTra2cMttqhEz </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 4: Early Second Quarter (Las Cruces TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/lMv-o6Ii_Dw?si=jAErAnsCByjn9eGT","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/lMv-o6Ii_Dw?si=jAErAnsCByjn9eGT </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 5: Mid Second Quarter (Cleveland TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/Wy7TBA28PHs?si=QkdTCQCRYuUVjYbQ","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/Wy7TBA28PHs?si=QkdTCQCRYuUVjYbQ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 6: Late Second Quarter (Cleveland TD)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/48_UuDZ2NYc?si=LmyxkI_5Zt9I159f","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/48_UuDZ2NYc?si=LmyxkI_5Zt9I159f </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 7: Third Quarter </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/JKO5cvummxo?si=AAKak8N-WEoSeq7_","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/JKO5cvummxo?si=AAKak8N-WEoSeq7_ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VIDEO 8 Fourth Quarter (Final Cleveland Drive)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/d7DYUZrFCCY?si=qC2t4x1BChp_uBYC","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/d7DYUZrFCCY?si=qC2t4x1BChp_uBYC </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/QKBUiyDbYSo?si=avjAmkWAUMox1vP7","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/QKBUiyDbYSo?si=avjAmkWAUMox1vP7 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Texico beat Eunice 42-7 to win the Class 2A Title at the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union State Football Championships. It's three straight state titles for the Wolverines. Here are some of the highlights (courtesy NFHS network). <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> <a href="https://t.co/QcDIyr0LYV">pic.twitter.com/QcDIyr0LYV</a></p>&mdash; NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1994989480215023871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">St. Michael's beat Dexter 28-21 to win the Class 3A Title at the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union State Football Championships. It's 3 straight state titles for the Horsemen &amp; finish the season on a 33-game win streak. Here are some of the highlights (courtesy NFHS network). <a href="https://twitter.com/nusendacu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nusendacu</a> <a href="https://t.co/iQUQ5H3xgz">pic.twitter.com/iQUQ5H3xgz</a></p>&mdash; NMAA (@_NMAA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_NMAA/status/1994990635745776072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->