Broncos outpace Bengals 42-0

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Mar 11, 2021 | Football |

GALLUP

Junior running back Zakk Thomas used his blazing speed as the Kirtland Central Broncos simply ran away from Gallup on Monday night.

Thomas scored five touchdowns, helping the Broncos score a 42-0 win in an empty Public Schools Stadium, as schools in McKinley County are not allowed to house fans at the moment.

The county is currently in the red level based on the state’s county-by-county COVID-19 risk system established by the New Mexico Department of Health. In the most recent metrics, the county has an average 7% positivity rate over a 14-day average for the week of Feb. 8 to 22. It needs to have a positivity rate less than 5% to allow fans.

“There were no fans here tonight so it wasn’t loud but it was still fun to play anyways without the fans,” Thomas said. “As long as they were watching on camera and staying safe at home.”

Before the start of the delayed football season, Thomas said he trained a lot and that paid dividends as Gallup had a hard time containing him.

“I’ve been training so it was easier to run the ball,” he said. “You know the (offensive) line did their jobs so I was able to hit the holes.”

Besides gaining some muscle weight during the offseason, the KC running back said he’s gotten faster.

“He’s a special player,” Broncos coach Greg Jenks said. “We think this year and leading into his senior year he’s gonna be one of the best in the state in 4A for running backs. You saw some of his abilities tonight and we’re aware of how good he is.”

Jenks said he was really proud of the way his offensive linemen played, especially having a starter out due to indirect contact with someone who has COVID.

“We were a little worried about that but Zakk had a lot of white jersey to look at,” he said. “He had a lot of room to move.”

Defensively, the Broncos didn’t allow Gallup to score but the Bengals had a couple of opportunities to get into the end zone.

Late in the first half, Gallup was one yard away from getting on the scoreboard but they were denied when quarterback Perry Ellerbe was pushed back six yards from the line of scrimmage.

The home team had one last chance to punch in a score but Kody Touchine, Gallup’s other QB, was stopped at the seven-yard line just as time expired.

“We gave up two long plays to No. 21 (Alejandro Alatorre) because he broke some tackles,” he said. “They got clearly to the one-yard line … but that was probably my proudest moment of the defense tonight.”

Despite facing a 42-0 deficit, Gallup made one final attempt to score as Touchine tried to connect with one of his receivers in the end zone. That attempt ran afoul with KC cornerback Jeremy Barber snagging an interception.

“I just had gotten on him because he got a chance to break on a ball earlier to where the ball hung in the air forever and he didn’t get there,” Jenks said Barber. “He made an adjustment two plays later. He’s one of the most coachable kids that I’ve ever coached.”

Gallup coach Andrew Rodriguez said the Broncos played a great game but he acknowledged that his team played well in spurts.

“It was tough that we couldn’t finish but there were definitely some good things that we can take away with,” he said. “We’re proud of what the kids did tonight.”

Both teams will be in action on Saturday with the Broncos hosting Aztec and Gallup traveling to Bernalillo.