By Nicky Romero
For the Mountain Mail
SOCORRO – There is nothing more satisfying for the Socorro football team seniors than ending their regular season with a resounding victory.
The Warriors accomplished that with a 28-14 win against Cobre Nov. 6 and the news got even better on Nov. 7.
Socorro received a No. 3 seed in the New Mexico State AAA playoffs and it will host either Robertson or Cobre on Nov. 20 or Nov. 21 in a second-round matchup.
“We beat Cobre but we lost to Robertson so we have a tough task ahead of us,” Socorro coach Damien Ocampo said. “Cobre is getting back its starting quarterback, defensive end and tight end. So Robertson, I hope, doesn’t think it has an easy game.
“Cobre is a tough ball club. We will see what happens with that game. We will have the winner of it. You know we have to be ready. If we want to keep playing, we have to be ready.”
Socorro’s defense set the tone early when Jared Marquez intercepted a flea-flicker pass just 45 seconds into the game.
On the Warriors’ first play from scrimmage, James Thorton scored on a 52-yard run for a 7-0 lead.
The Warriors’ defense came up big on Cobre’s next possession when Ibrahim Maiga came up with an interception. Socorro took advantage of the good field position and scored on a touchdown pass from Zach Esquivel to Jose Alvarado for a 14-0 lead.
Late in the second quarter, the Warriors added to their lead when Esquivel completed a 35-yard pass to Marquez for a 21-0 cushion at halftime.
Cobre stopped Socorro on the first possession of the second half and it mounted a 54-yard scoring drive, culminated by a touchdown pass from Dominick Duran to Levi Helton.
Socorro, though, had an answer when Esquivel threw his third touchdown pass of the night to Charlie Savedra with 28 seconds left in the third quarter. Zach Binger added his fourth extra point for a 28-6 lead.
Cobre cut the margin when quarterback Tre Sanchez threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Nick Madrid. The two point conversion was good and Cobre trailed 28-14 with nine minutes left.
Cobre’s defense came up with an interception but then the Warriors rose to the occasion.
On a third-down and 10 play, senior David Chavez sacked Sanchez for a 7-yard loss. And then Socorro’s defense stopped Cobre on downs.
The Warriors, who finished district play undefeated for the second time in school history, ran out the clock and the celebration was on.
According to Ocampo, it is the second time in school history that the Warriors have finished district play undefeated two years in a row.
The last time Socorro accomplished the feat was in 1996-97.
In those years, Ocampo was the starting quarterback, Coach Steven Aguilar was on the defensive line, and the coaches were Joe Gonzales, Chuck Zimmerly and Greg Ezell.
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