Coronado has hung its fortunes on its stout defense this year, but in a District 1-6A opener with huge playoff implications, the Thunderbirds lived with their offense.
In a wild shootout at the Socorro Student Activities Center, Coronado got the last full possession and in a game with nine lead changes and a combined 800 yards of offense, that was definitive in a 38-35 Coronado victory. Coronado made a goal-line stand at the final horn, stuffing a run from the 1-yard line with 3 seconds left.
Trailing 35-31 with 5:29 to play, Coronado methodically marched 78 yards on the ground, then on 4th and 7 from the 15-yard line, Nolan Montion found CJ Frescas, who toe-tapped inches short of the sidelines with 1:54 remaining, almost the same spot in the end
zone where he had a third-quarter interception.
Frescas also had a 62-yard touchdown run in the second quarter as Coronado found just enough offense to survive.
Nolan Montion threw a pair of long touchdown passes to Christian Frias in a night filled with long scores, helping Coronado overcome 115 penalty yards, most of them holding with an offensive line that was dominant when it wasn't hurting itself, which was too often.
Coronado still had to make a stop, which was rare in this game, and got it after Socorro started its final possession on the 13 and moved to the Thunderbird 14 with 25 seconds to go. A pass interference moved it to the 2 with 3 seconds left and Coronado stuffed the run up the middle.
Socorro up 21-17 at half
Both teams lit up the scoreboards with big plays in the first half, as Socorro scored from 70, 34 and 44 yards while Coronado answered with touchdowns of 62 and 66 yards in a half with four lead changes.
Socorro's defense helped the Bulldogs to a halftime lead with a fourth-down fumble recovery in the final minute of the second quarter after Coronado appeared to bang out a first down in a half where stops were rare.
The Bulldogs' last two touchdowns of the first half were strikes of 34 and 44 yards from Isaac Anaya to Jacob Herrera and the first one was a highlight reel. At the midpoint of the second quarter Herrera caught a pass that should have been a first down on the 20. He was slung to the ground, but fell on a Coronado defender, never was down, popped up to his feet and scored for a 17-14 lead.
On the next snap, Coronado's Nolan Montion found Christian Frias for a 66 yard catch-and-run score as the game went back and forth.
Up next
Socorro returns to action on Friday, Oct. 2 when it travels to the West side to take on Franklin. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Coronado will be a few miles away at the same time when it host Montwood at Thunderbird Stadium, also a 7 p.m. kick.
Americas at Del Valle pushed to Friday
Because of lightning around Del Valle Thursday evening, the game between Americas and the Conquistadors have been postponed until Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Conquest Stadium. All tickets will be honored.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Coronado flies past Socorro in SAC shootout to open 1-6A
