PREP FOOTBALL
Sandia shuts out Albuquerque High, stays unbeaten
The Matadors used a dominant ground game and stifling defense to beat Albuquerque High in their District 1-6A opener.
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Whatever the Sandia Matadors disliked about their performance in Week 3, they purged it all in Week 4.
Senior quarterback Jahleel Lewis ran for a pair of touchdowns and threw for a third, and the Matadors throttled Albuquerque High鈥檚 offense throughout in a 46-0 victory in a District 1-6A opener at Wilson Stadium.
This was a long way from a double overtime thriller over rival Eldorado last week that didn鈥檛 exactly leave a pleasant taste in their mouths.
Spoke to Sandia senior QB Jahleel Lewis after he ran for two scores and threw for a third in a 46-0 win over Albuquerque High on Thursday night.
鈥� James Yodice (@JamesDYodice)
鈥淲e came into last week lazy,鈥� said senior linebacker Aiden Maldonado, who at halftime was also crowned 鈥� literally crowned 鈥� homecoming king. 鈥淲e came into this week (wanting) to show people what our defense is about.鈥�
Unofficially by the Journal鈥檚 count, Sandia limited Albuquerque High (2-1-1) to just 43 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs crafted just one offensive drive of note, which reached the Sandia 25 before an incomplete pass on fourth down in the second quarter. The Bulldogs had 35 yards on this drive alone.
For the Matadors (4-0) the formula was decidedly old school: a potent defense and an effective ground game.
鈥淭hat was the goal from the start,鈥� Sandia coach Tylon Wilder said. 鈥淚 want to be able to run the ball. At will. I want to be a run dominant team to open up everything else. Tonight was a good showing of what we can do.鈥�
The Matadors scored on three of their first four drives; the fourth was a fumble recovered by AHS.
Gad Harris鈥� 3-yard TD run five minutes in opened the scoring. Lewis added a 3-yard keeper in the final minute of the quarter. With a short field 鈥� and Sandia had plenty of those Thursday night 鈥� Lewis had a terrific ball fake, then went the other way for a 30-yard score and an 18-0 lead 23 seconds into the second quarter. The Matadors missed a PAT and two, 2-point tries.
鈥淲e had to bounce back from last week,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淲e felt it shouldn鈥檛 have been that close.鈥�
Sandia added two additional touchdowns in the final 81 seconds of the half. J鈥檝en Smith scored on a 2-yard run with 1:21 to go, and Lewis lofted a nifty 26-yard pass in the back of the end zone to Deon Session with 9 seconds showing for a 32-0 halftime bulge. That was the first pass Sandia attempted in the first half; that鈥檚 how effective the ground game was for the Matadors.
鈥淭he run was there and we kept taking it,鈥� Lewis said. Sandia attempted only four passes all game.
The second-half highlight for Sandia was senior linebacker Mateo Hogan鈥檚 55-yard pick-6. Like Maldonado, Hogan was named to the homecoming court, too.
Sandia is idle next week.
Aiden Maldonado had himself a night. Part of a Sandia defense that pitched a shutout, and named homecoming king at halftime. We talked about his shoes, too (it鈥檚 here in the video):
鈥� James Yodice (@JamesDYodice)
鈥淲e deserve to be 4-0,鈥� Wilder said.
For Maldonado, the night was perfect. His girlfriend, Mia Arrington, was named homecoming queen. He was asked what meant more Thursday, the shutout for the defense or the honor of wearing the king鈥檚 crown.
鈥淭he homecoming thing is amazing, and it鈥檚 a very big honor,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut I love that for our defense. 鈥� We鈥檙e feeling beautiful.鈥�
Also Thursday night, Cibola (1-3) routed Miyamura (0-4) 56-13 in a District 1-5A opener at Nusenda Community Stadium.
James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at .
