The Roswell Coyotes football team takes on the Deming Wildcats at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at Memorial Stadium, with an opportunity to improve to 2-0 in district play and extend its winning streak to three games.
The Coyotes (3-1, 1-0) opened district competition with a 56-26 road win over Alamogordo (1-3, 0-1) on Sept. 11. Deming (1-3, 0-1), meanwhile, is searching for a response after a 53-0 loss to Artesia (1-3, 1-0) at the Bulldog Bowl.
For Roswell head coach Jeff Lynn, the expectation for Friday is simple: establish early control and don’t let up.
“If we have a strong first half, I think the rest of the game will take care of itself,” Lynn said.
Quarterback Andruw Fuentez has been a catalyst for the Coyotes throughout the opening month of the season. Against Alamogordo, he completed 9 of 12 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown while adding 62 rushing yards and two touchdowns on three carries.
The running game was the story of the night for Roswell, with Jonathan Ellis, Luis Rodriguez, Daniel Guevara and Ezequiel Barrientos each finding the end zone.
Lynn said contributions have come from throughout the roster, and he expects those same players, along with the defense, to play important roles as district play continues.
“I think we’ve played well offensively all season and we’ve also been playing a little better defensively,” Lynn said.
Deming enters Friday’s matchup looking for answers on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats have scored 56 points through four games while allowing 181.
Quarterback Richard Holguin has carried much of the offensive workload. Through four games, he has completed 24 of 59 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns, with five interceptions. But Holguin has been dangerous on the ground, rushing for 449 yards and six touchdowns on 70 carries. His top receiving target has been Jordan Milo, who has seven catches for 80 yards.
For Roswell, this matchup is an opportunity to continue building momentum in district play. For Deming, it’s a chance to turn the page, earn its first district victory and pick up its first home win of the season.
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.
