Santa Fe Indian holds off Zuni in shoot out

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

ZUNI, N.M.

Santa Fe Indian School’s Kaleb Kaleb scored three rushing touchdowns while Zuni junior Julian Peynetsa answered with three scores of his own as the Braves held off the Thunderbirds 42-32 in a season opener filled with momentum swings.

Peynetsa returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in the opening quarter before breaking loose for a 41-yard touchdown run that gave Zuni its first lead early in the second half. But each time the Thunderbirds threatened to take control, Santa Fe Indian found an answer.

Junior quarterback Isaiah Maestas added two rushing touchdowns for the Braves, while junior Jordan Harvier scored another as SFIS produced all six of its touchdowns on the ground.

The Braves opened the scoring when Maestas rolled to his right and went untouched into the end zone from a yard out with 4:44 remaining in the first quarter. A successful conversion gave Santa Fe Indian an 8-0 lead. The advantage lasted only seconds. Peynetsa took the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, immediately cutting the Braves’ lead to 8-7.

To read the full article, please see the Aug. 27, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.

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