CORTEZ – On the basketball court, shooting 50% from the floor is an ideal efficiency rate.
On the gridiron, scoring on 50% of the team’s offensive snaps makes most Madden video game results seem realistic by comparison.
Against the Shiprock Chieftains, the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers required fewer than 15 offensive snaps to score seven first-half touchdowns on their way to a 77-0 throttling of the visiting Chieftains.
Six different Panthers scored touchdowns, while special teams added two scores. The defense recorded its third shutout of the season.
The night proved to be just what the doctor ordered for a Panthers squad anxious to get back to action after back-to-back bye weeks, all while eagerly awaiting the return of senior quarterback Colby McMillan.
The veteran signal caller didn’t disappoint in his return, firing three long touchdown passes, including a 42-yard bomb to senior Marley Linch midway through the second quarter.
The Chietains struggled to get anything going when they had the ball, as a fumble on the first snap of the game set the tone for the night.
The host Panthers scored three plays later, as Wheat broke free behind a steamrolling offensive line. Senior center Braiden Seymour, along with the collection of young Panthers gelling together up front, controlled the trenches.
“With me and Aden (Ray) coming back as the only seniors back on the offensive line, we knew it would be a pretty tough adjustment,” Seymour said. “But the freshmen are learning the position, and we’ve got some other guys who have stepped up from JV – and they’re doing pretty good.”
The Panthers hounded Shiprock junior Elijah Shorthair, who helped Shiprock move the ball more effectively on its second drive, churning out multiple first downs. But Montezuma-Cortez snuffed out a fourth down run – and with it, most of the Shiprock forward progress on offense.
Panthers senior running back Tay Wheat scored five touchdowns, including four in an opening-quarter salvo that put the Panthers up 36-0. Both Wheat and classmate Houston Hurst returned punts for touchdowns, while junior Parker Conrad capped the scoring on a short run.
Junior Cooper Sopha collected one of the multiple takeaways by picking off a pass, while junior Wyatt Oliver recovered a fumble and also scored on the receiving end of a McMillan pass.
Senior Brady Dale accompanied Seymour and the blocking schemes, while juniors Karston Ozment and Jasper Gilliland helped keep the pocket clean for McMillan and open lanes for Wheat.
On defense, junior Rusty Snyder and the linebackers spent most of the night in the Chieftain backfield, making sure Shiprock didn’t cross midfield the entire night.
“Everybody’s looking to help the other guys out – it’s not just one guy doing their job,” Seymour said.
First-year Panthers coach Tyler Worley echoed Seymour’s sentiment, saying the offensive line is “moving as one” and that each lineman is “squared away on their responsibilities.”
“The whole team has adjusted to our philosophy of being a run-first offense – so for us to be successful, it’s a matter of each guy doing their job,” he said.
Montezuma-Cortez improved to 3-1, including a 3-0 record against New Mexico foes. Shiprock dropped to 0-4.
The Panthers will start Intermountain League play next weekend with a trip to Gunnison, while Shiprock will resume District 1-4A play at Wingate.
“It’s sad sometimes coming out and thinking that this could be the last time we get to do this, but we’re really excited about this being our year,” Seymour said.
