Steers stampede NMSD 70-25

From: El Defensor Chieftain, NM - Sep 6, 2003

By Joe Warren

El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

jwarren@dchieftain.com

The Magdalena Steers football team ran circles around the New Mexico School for the Deaf on Thursday, winning 70-25 at the Magdalena High School football field.

"It was a good team effort," head coach Marvin Martin said after the win.

"Everybody got to play."

The Steers scored 20 first quarter points, to only six for NMSD, jumping out to a lead that they would never relinquish.

Junior Montana Pettis scored five touchdowns, two on the ground and three through the air, as he led a balanced Magdalena attack that produced over 500 yards of total offense.

Martin was happy with the team's offensive performance.

"Our blocking was better this week, our patterns were better (than in last weeks loss to Logan)," he said.

"It was a good win. We needed that."

The Steers would generate 299 passing yards and 203 rushing yards while beating NMSD by 45 points, invoking the mercy rule with 2:18 left I the game.

"We don't do that very much," Martin said of the offensive outburst.

He said that he did not mean for his team to win by such a large margin, saying that the team just played so well that he could not keep them from continually scoring.

"I'm proud of these kids," Martin said.

Even with 70 reasons for optimism, Martin was able to find some areas that his team needed to work on.

"We've still got to work on our communication on defense," he said.

"Our tackling was horrible."

Even so, Martin could not help but be optimistic.

"I know we're on the right track," he said.

Other offensive leaders for the Steers include senior Michael Benavidez, who led the team with 102 yards rushing on 14 carries, with three touchdowns.

Junior Ernest Torres was 13 for 18 passing, with 289 yards and five touchdowns against no interceptions.

Senior Broc Bruton pitched in with a team high 85 yards receiving on three catches and one score. Bruton and Pettis also played well on defense. Bruton had a sack, an interception and nine pass break-ups.

Pettis led the team with nine tackles and two sacks, also coming down with an interception of his own.

Senior J.T. Milligan had 70 yards receiving, 48 yards rushing and even completed a pass to help the effort.

The Steers are in action again on Friday when they travel to Corona for a game that starts at 6 p.m.

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