Eagles advance to quarterfinals with 22–13 win over Jal

Posted by Navajo Times | Nov 13, 2025 | Football |

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

FARMINGTON

The Navajo Prep Eagles are moving on.

Behind a composed three-touchdown performance from junior quarterback Aden Clah, the Eagles defeated the Jal Panthers 22–13 on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the 2025 NMAA 2A State Football Championships, advancing to the program’s second consecutive quarterfinal appearance since joining the 2A classification in 2023.

Clah finished with 197 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception as he guided the Eagles through a tense, defensive battle marked by big-play momentum and late-game resilience.

Jal struck first midway through the opening quarter when senior quarterback Daniel Ornelas powered into the end zone from four yards out to put the Panthers ahead 7–0. Navajo Prep responded immediately. On the ensuing possession, Clah connected with sophomore wide receiver Gracin Vigil on a 17-yard hitch-and-go down the right sideline. Vigil made a highlight one-handed catch through defensive contact, drawing a penalty and securing the score with three minutes left in the quarter. The extra-point gave the Eagles an 8–7 lead.

Jal reclaimed the advantage early in the second quarter as senior running back Zadyn Lujan capped a steady drive with a six-yard run. The missed point-after left the Panthers up 13–8. But Clah quickly answered, finding junior receiver Luke Smith on a 32-yard strike with eight minutes left before halftime to put Navajo Prep back on top 14–13. From there, both defenses settled in, trading stops to close out the half.

Receiving the kickoff to start the third quarter, the Eagles marched 62 yards downfield. Clah dropped back and found senior receiver Khol Johnson streaking downfield for a 47-yard touchdown. After the conversion, Navajo Prep led 22–13 as that score would hold for the remainder of the contest.

The Eagle defense stood tall in the final stretch, denying Jal twice inside the red zone. The first stop came on a 4th-and-6 from the nine-yard line with seven minutes remaining. The second, with the game on the line, came on a 4th-and-7 at the 11-yard line in the closing two minutes.

Head coach Roderick Denetso credited film study and discipline for the defensive success.

“We studied film and knew they didn’t have an effective passing game,” Denetso said. “So, we had to stop the run. I’ve watched Jal, Tucumcari, and all those southern teams, and we knew there was a lot to overcome playing them. This is 13 years in the making, and we still have a lot of growth.”

Denetso also praised his young quarterback’s development. “This is Aden’s first year at quarterback. He had big shoes to fill after Xavier Nez graduated, but he’s grown up. Now he’s calling plays based on what he sees.”

The coach reflected on the team’s journey this year. “We started back in April with just 10 to 12 kids. Most of them aren’t local, so we’d only see them at 7-on-7 tournaments. We worked with what we had, and this is the result—three straight state playoff appearances. We’re playing Prep football.”

Looking ahead, the eighth-seeded Eagles travel to face No. 1 Texico for the second consecutive year. “Last year we didn’t get off the bus, and we were down by halftime,” Denetso admitted. “This year, we expect things to be different. We’ll prepare and go after a win.”

Navajo Prep and Texico kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Texico High School.

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