All or nothing. That is the challenge awaiting for the Goddard Rockets when they take on the Mayfield Trojans at 7 p.m. Friday at the Wool Bowl.
Goddard (3-4, 2-2 District 2-5A) defeated Mayfield (2-5, 2-2) 48-10 at the Field of Dreams in Las Cruces last season. Friday’s showdown gives the Rockets another opportunity to come away with a victory.
Here are three keys for Goddard to defeat the Trojans:
1. Let the ground game set the tone
The Rockets’ ground game has been productive all season, and Goddard will need to establish it early against Mayfield.
Running back Isaiah Montoya has rushed for 527 yards and five touchdowns on 91 carries through seven games. Ryan Romero has added 184 yards and one touchdown on 38 attempts. As a team, Goddard has totaled 1,005 rushing yards on 178 carries.
Establishing the run will help the Rockets control the tempo, sustain drives and create opportunities for the offense.
2. Keep quarterback Nate Vazquez dealing
Vazquez completed 20 of 28 passes for 207 yards and four touchdowns in Goddard’s 54-0 shutout win over the Deming Wildcats (1-6, 0-4) on Oct. 3 at Memorial Stadium. He has also scored a rushing touchdown in each of the past two games.
Vazquez has shown he can punish a defense that gives him time in the pocket. He can also create opportunities with his legs when coverage forces him to improvise.
Handling pressure and making sound decisions against tight coverage will be critical against the Trojans.
3. Don’t look ahead
The bigger picture is that this is Goddard’s final tuneup before two major matchups: a game against the Artesia Bulldogs (4-3, 4-0) at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 and a crosstown rivalry game against the Roswell Coyotes (6-1, 4-0) at 7 p.m. Oct. 30. Both games will be played at the Wool Bowl and will present significant tests for the Rockets.
Before looking ahead, Goddard must take care of business against Mayfield. The Rockets need to stay healthy, execute consistently and build momentum as they prepare for the final stretch 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.
