Hózhó Academy looking to make history: Wolves start young season at 3-1

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

GALLUP – The Hózhó Academy Wolves, a notably young team with no seniors and only two years of varsity experience, made a powerful statement on the field.

The Wolves (3-1) mercy-ruled Capitan, 62-8, at the Angelo Dipaolo Memorial Stadium in Gallup Saturday afternoon. This remarkable turnaround comes just one year after Capitan soundly defeated Hózhó in a 54-6 beatdown.

With it being a brand-new high school football program, the Wolves practice and play without its own football field. Hózhó Academy Cyle Balok expressed his gratitude toward Gallup-McKinley County Schools for allowing his team to use their fields.

“Last year, we played a few games at the TDFL field, but we play wherever we can,” Balok said. “If we must play in the parking lot, we will, and we will play hard. We hope to have our own place in the coming years.”

The Wolves made their defensive prowess known on Saturday despite Capitan starting off the game with some long runs. The visiting Tigers struggled to advance the ball against the relentless Hózhó defense.

At the six-minute mark of the first quarter, the Wolves junior quarterback Brandon Bonaguidi made a connection with sophomore wide receiver Abraham Azua for a 49-yard touchdown pass. The successful PAT, put Hózhó Academy ahead 7-0.

Later in the quarter, a fumble recovery by freshman linebacker Brandon Blue Eyes set up another scoring drive. Bonaguidi and Azua connected again for a 45-yard TD strike, extending the lead to 14-0.

The Wolves picked up where they left off in the second quarter. A turnover by Capitan gave Hózhó Academy good field position with junior Cross Malcolm scoring a 48-yard TD that extended the home team’s lead to 21-0.

On its ensuing drive, Capitan opted to air out the ball, but Malcolm returned an errant pass for 48-yard, pick-six.

Hózhó’s defense forced another turnover as Azua recovered a fumble at midfield. Bonaguidi hit one of his receivers for a 50-yard TD pass that extended the Wolves lead to 35-0.

With the momentum, Hózhó continued to force turnovers. Some notable plays include a sack by junior Isaiah Bennett, a fumble recovery from defensive lineman Wyatt Piano, which set up a 6-yard rushing TD from freshman Roman Lujan for a commanding 42-0 cushion.

That score instituted a running clock, but Capitan came back with a 70-yard kick return by Colton Wales as the Tigers cut Hózhó’s lead down to 42-8 at the break.

In the second half, the Wolves got a 50-yard TD run from Malcolm. The Hózhó junior then came with a key defensive fumble that led to an 11-yard score from Azua as the Wolves increased its lead to 55-8.

Capitan’s next drive ended with another turnover when Azua intercepted the ball at Hózhó’s own 43-yard line. Freshman Kaleb Bowannie capped the game with a 57-yard TD run, ending the game with five minutes left in the third quarter.

The Hózhó Academy coach credited his coaching staff for the team’s turnaround.

“The coaching staff isn’t collegiate-level experienced, but they are local coaches who really care about the kids and want to make a difference for them,” Balok said.

Without a storied past, Balok says his current group is looking to set a standard for the football program at the Gallup charter school.

“Hózhó doesn’t have any tradition or history, but we talk about it with our boys,” Balok said. “The juniors here had to act in faith, believing that it would all come together. Some of their friends left, unsure if things would pan out but these players are now the ones building the legacy.”

Hózhó travels to Pojoaque Valley on Friday to take on the Elks, a team that was sitting eighth in this week’s coaches poll.

---