The Roswell High School boys’ soccer team dominated Goddard 12-2 Thursday, Aug. 20, at Goddard High School.
The game was called 11 minutes before regulation under the “Mercy Rule,” after Roswell extended its lead to 10 points. Under the rule, a team is declared the winner when it reaches a 10-goal lead over the opponent.
The Coyotes started aggressive on offensive with a goal each scored by Axel Sanchez, Debrice Ashung and Omar Martinez in the first four minutes of the game.
Angel Campuzano added to the lead 18 minutes into the half, making it 4-0.
The Rockets answered when Josh Hester scored to cut the deficit to three. Ashung then responded with his second shot into the net to build the lead back to four.
Sanchez followed with two goals in a 53-second span to push the Coyotes’ advantage to 7-1 by halftime.
Roswell began the second half similarly to the first, powering three goals in the opening seven minutes. Sanchez scored two, while Ashung added one.
Hester responded again with his second goal 22 minutes into the half, bringing the score to 10-2.
But that was it for Goddard’s offense as Coyotes Hiram Alvarado and Gabriel Gurrola scored the final two goals to capture the win and end the game with 11 minutes remaining.
Sanchez leads in scoring
For Sanchez, the performance was a statement after a quiet opener.
He was held scoreless in Roswell’s 5-0 victory over New Mexico Military Institute Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the Cielo Grande Sports Complex. Against Goddard, the Coyotes’ leading goal scorer from last season erupted for five goals.
Ashung added three, matching the total he scored against NMMI in the first game.
Coaches look ahead
Roswell head coach Robert Madrid praised Sanchez and Ashung’s contributions to the team’s fast start.
“We describe these first two games as the city championship because we play the two Roswell teams first and if we want to be the best, we must start by being the best in our area,” Madrid said.
Hester, Goddard’s only scorer in Thursday’s game, achieved half of his productivity all last season when he scored four goals in 18 appearances, according to MaxPreps.
Rockets interim head coach Noel Montelongo said Hester and David Gonzalez were key contributors in the matchup.
Montelongo said the Rockets’ depleted roster made the challenge even tougher and expects the team to grow from the experience.
“We lost a few boys during the summer who were not eligible to play, so it’s tough not having a full squad and getting gassed out,” Montelongo said. “We tried our best and almost finished the game, but they caught up to us. We’ll get better though.”
What’s next?
The Coyotes will be back in action against Artesia at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the Mack Chase Athletic Complex.
Goddard’s next game is against Santa Teresa at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at home.
Marshall Mecham can be reached at (915) 232-1793 or on X @mecham_marshall. Mecham serves with the New Mexico Local News Fellowship, which places emerging journalists in newsrooms across the state. Learn more at www.newmexicolocalnewsfellowships.org.
