GRANTS - A week after the top-ranked football team rolled into town, and rolled out with a big victory, the reverberations can still be felt around the Grants High School campus.

    But only a little.

    Senior lineman Derick Chavez said the Pirate offense felt it ended Friday's 63-7 loss on a high note, with Brandon Rael's late touchdown to stymie the shutout attempt by Belen.

    “That's part of Angry Jack pride, not quitting,” Chavez said. “We, as a team, brought Angry Jack back with the help of our coaches. We have learned not to give up, no matter the deficit.”

This week brings a new, tough challenge to the Pirates (5-4, 0-2 District 6-4A), who are literally playing for a spot in the state playoffs, and even with a win might still fall short. They head to Wilson Stadium tonight to face third-ranked Volcano Vista, which already has solidified its postseason plans. The consensus among players and coaches seems to be that if the Pirates beat the Hawks, and Moriarty (3-6 overall) finds a way to beat tenth-ranked Del Norte (4-5 overall), Grants could be in line for a bid. Of course the Pirates could have defeated Belen, and have the same result, but since that didn't happen, Chavez said the Pirates understand the predicament they are in.

    “Now that we have to win this game, it puts pressure on us,” he said. “I think we're ready for it because we've improved a lot, changed things up a bit and we have confidence going in.”

As for the Hawks' attack, Grants Head Coach Dale Hooper said they present a balanced running and passing attack. The Hawk defense held Belen to its lowest point total of the year, and held the St. Pius offense - one that scored 56 points on Grants - to only 13 points. Offensively, the Hawks (who move up to 5A football next season) have dusted a couple of opponents (49-0 over Rio Grande and 40-6 over     Albuquerque High) meaning that they seem to have no trouble piling up the points.

This does pose a problem for the Pirate “D” which has allowed 119 points over its last two games, losses to St. Pius and Belen that slowed the Pirates' resolve, but have not destroyed it, according to senior wideout Isiah Whitmore.

    “I guess having heart and desire to get better overall makes you keep working week in and week out,” he said. “You have to learn to move on and look forward to the next game.”

    And Grants will do so with the knowledge that it reestablished its power running game against Belen (Rael had more than 100 yards on the night) and still remembers that it is capable of getting big chunks of yardage through the air.

    “I think just coming out, not taking plays off and performing to the best of our abilities in all aspects of the game will determine the outcome,” Whitmore said. “If we can make them aware of our passing game, it can open things up for running backs to run the ball and we become more balanced.”

Hooper promised some changes to both the offense and defense this week, changes that will hopefully surprise the Hawks tonight. And whereas Chavez agreed that he and his fellow seniors want very much to win tonight, Whitmore acknowledges that all classes of players are hungry to get into the big dance. 

    “I'm pretty sure everybody wants this game,” he said. “This could be their only shot as well of going to state. The old phrase of 'who wants it more?' will come into play, and hopefully that will make us all play harder and do the right things on the field.”

For those that cannot attend tonight's game, the Web site www.nmaafilms.tv will be broadcasting the game live on the internet. Of course, local radio station KMIN-980 AM will be sending its broadcast back to the Grants area as well.