“Alamogordo High School Football: Tough Battle Against Hobbs Recap”
The AlamogordoTownNews.org team was on-site to cover the Alamogordo High School Tigers hosting the Hobbs Eagles on Friday night at Tiger Stadium. Heading into this matchup, the Tigers’ Varsity team had experienced a challenging season, holding a 1-4 record. While they secured a win in double overtime during their homecoming game, they faced a setback with a road loss to Organ Mountain in their previous district game. However, the Tigers demonstrated resilience by limiting Organ Mountain to just 19 total passing yards in the second half of that match.
The visiting Hobbs Eagles, coming off a 6-6 season last year, entered this game with a bit more experience, featuring four returning offensive and six defensive starters. Head Coach Ken Stevens expressed optimism about his team’s athletic talent but acknowledged that they still lacked extensive game experience. With a current record of 2-3, and 0-1 within the district after a 44-14 loss to Las Cruces, the Eagles were eager to bounce back against the Tigers.
Hobbs’ senior quarterback, Brock Beaty, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound standout, led the Eagles’ offense, having accumulated 980 passing yards and 14 touchdowns heading into the game against Alamogordo. He faced off against the Tigers’ quarterback, Nathanael Best, who has shown solid leadership and skills on the field.
Alamogordo entered Friday’s game after a tough two-game stretch, including an 18-10 loss to Organ Mountain, their lowest-scoring game of the season. The previous week, however, showcased the Tigers’ rushing prowess, with Dylan Hergenreder setting a new career high by rushing for 124 yards on just 12 carries, and Nathanael Best contributing 104 rushing yards. The Tigers have demonstrated their strength on the ground, rushing for at least 157 yards in seven consecutive games dating back to last season.
The game against Hobbs proved to be a challenge for Alamogordo. Hobbs started strong, with Shamus Wright scoring the first touchdown on a 21-yard run, giving Hobbs an early 7-0 lead with 10:27 left in the first quarter. Shortly after, quarterback Brock Beaty connected with Justice French on a 46-yard touchdown pass, further extending the lead. Wright scored again with a 6-yard run, ending the first quarter with Hobbs ahead 28-0.
Alamogordo fought back in the second quarter, with Nate Best managing a 1-yard touchdown run, and Vazquez’s extra point was successful, making it 28-7 with 10:48 left in the second quarter. However, Hobbs’ Omarrion Kennedy responded with a 3-yard touchdown run.
Following an entertaining halftime show, the third quarter saw both teams struggle to put points on the board.
The fourth quarter began with Kennedy adding another 2-yard touchdown run, putting Hobbs up 42-7. The Tigers, however, refused to go quietly, as Josiah Quinlan scored on a 14-yard run, and Vazquez’s extra point was good, cutting the deficit to 42-14. Hobbs responded with Ricky Gonzalez’s 13-yard touchdown run, bringing their lead to 49-14 with 5:02 remaining in the game. Tigers’ quarterback Nate Best then rallied with a 15-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful Vazquez extra point, bringing the final score to 49-21 in favor of Hobbs.
The Tigers drop to 1-5 on the season and are set to host Centennial on Thursday, October 3, at Tiger Stadium.
