Prediction: Hawks blowout district opponents

    There are few things sports 'fanatics' love to do more than pour over numbers and make predictions of their favorite teams.

    Over the past year I've covered the Laguna-Acoma Hawks program and grown quite fond of its tradition of good football. The energy that radiates from the stands in L-A is all about love.

It was an amazing atmosphere when the Hawks whooped on 3A Crownpoint in the season opener last year. Then, Hawk fans brought their love to the rainy night in Grants last year, when the Hawks upset the Pirates for the second year.

    But, even when the Hawks don't play to their potential, silver and blue-wearing fans don't give up. I've never heard them boo at a game.

    I am predicting lots of cheering these next two games, as the Hawks finished the last of their tough games.

    So why do I bring up the Hawks fans, when there are no facts, zero stats of a home crowd? Trust me, those players can hear their parents yelling “good job” or “attaboy” and it makes a huge difference on the field.

    After a loss to Capitan, running out of gas after leading the first half, the Hawks have been running their feathers off. Coach Modie Hicks said the Monday practice after the game he didn't pull out so much as a football, let alone a rope or neat nets for agility.

    Coach Trent Spencer said his team is ready to challenge the cross-country team, only jokingly of course. But seriously, in a week of practice, the Hawks ran about fours hours straight, and are not likely to run out of gas again, ever.

    Without further adieu, these are my predictions for the rest of the regular season.

Hosting Cuba, Hawks win, 47-7. Coach Spencer said this game is sure to be the district championship. Bottom line: if the Hawks play a bad game tonight, they could forfeit any chance of an invite to the state dance.

    Hosting Newcomb, Hawks win homecoming 54-12. What an incredible story of last year's team of inexperienced Hawk “replacements.” They went against the undefeated Newcomb Skyhawks last year and won in overtime 20-14. Newcomb had at least three times as many players as the Hawks, who had only two substitutes.

    I wouldn't be surprised if the starters convince Coach Spencer to let them play three of the four quarters. The fourth quarter the seniors can rest easy and later enjoy a night of punch and tuxedos.

Going to Ramah, Hawks win 60-0. The 1-2A district kindly accepted the addition of Ramah this season. Ramah proved to be a threat to the eight-man state championships year after year. Unfortunately for the football program, the numbers grew but the program hasn't. It will take some time to adjust to an extra three guys.

    At Navajo Prep, Hawks win with a rout at 54-0. Prep picked up 30-year head coach of Bloomfield, John Gutierrez, who led a 52-0 win over Navajo Pine. Last year's game Navajo Prep almost lost and decided a staff change was in order. Coach DeJong DeGroat was kindly escorted from the program and jumped on board with Navajo Pine, which brings us to the final game of the season.

    Hosting Navajo Pine, 34-0. I'm not joking, readers, this game will be a blowout if the Hawks junior varsity plays all four quarters, which could very well happen. Pine has become the punching bag of the 1-2A district. What could be a lot of fun for the home fans is if we get to see next year's quarterback (probably Isaac Gallegos, Boot's younger brother), start and play out the game with Dustin Delores in the back field and Austin Jones on the wide out.