Taos mentally ready for Goliath Bloomfield
Goliath is bigbad and seemingly unbeatable.
All the Taos Tigers (7-4) have are their slingshots.
With the defending state champion and top-seeded Bloomfield Bobcats coming to Taos’ Anay Field at 2 p.m. Saturday for a Class 4A semifinalTigers head coach Johnny Olguin admitted his team is the underdog heading into that matchup. But he wasn’t yet ready to concede the outcome.
Bloomfield has a 10-1 record and is scoring 54.8 points per game. Andyesthe Bobcats averaged a winning margin of 50.4 points during an eight-game winning streak. Bloomfield made this same trip eight weeks ago and handed the Tigers a humbling 65-13 defeat.
But Olguinthe Tigers’ second-year head coachholds on to a glimmer of hope that was the opening quarter of that first contest. Taos kept pace with the Bobcats and only trailed 14-13. The Tigers produced a turnover and were driving for a potential go-ahead score when the wheels came off.
Quarterback Evan Salazar threw an interception deep in Bloomfield territoryputting an end to upset hopes. The Bobcats responded with 51 unanswered pointswith 38 coming in the second quarter as they built a 59-13 lead at the half.
It was a matter of the mouse cornering the elephant but not knowing what to do.
“We punched themand we didn’t know what to do after we punched them,” Olguin said. “We were like‘OhOK. Wellnow what?’ ”
That planted a seed in Olguin’s mind. He spent much of the second half of the season focusing on the mental side of the Tigers. It might be a big part in their six-game winning streak since that lossincluding last week’s dramatic 25-24 win over Albuquerque Academy. Taos needed a 44-yard touchdown pass from Salazar to Alejandro Ortega with 12 seconds left to defeat the Chargers.
“I realized I can run themI can make them liftbut if we don’t get their mental game rightwe’re not gonna make it,” Olguin said.
He incorporated what he called “mental skills training” into workouts and practices. He pointed to Thursday’s trainingin which he asked the players“What’s your vow to the team?” and watched them with delight at them writing their answers.
“It’s a feeling of success to see these kids actually buying into what we’re doing,” Olguin said. “Everything we’ve done has been so consistent.”
It will take that consistency to pull off a huge upset — as well another stellar performance by Salazar. Taos’ senior signal-caller threw for 404 yards and two second-half touchdowns against Academywhile also running for another 55 yards and a score.
Salazar’s performance was so impressivethe team has taken on a superstitious tone with its star player.
“No one wants to mess with his Jujuyou know?” Olguin said with a laugh. “Oh manhe’s there by himself and he thinks no one likes him. They’re more like‘Stay awayman. Don’t mess with the superstition of it all.’ ”
If the Tigers are relying on superstitionBloomfield is leaning into its talent. It starts with senior quarterback Manual Chavarriawho has thrown for 2,617 yards with 42 touchdowns. Thenthere is running back Payeton Duncanwho leads a trio of runners with at least 300 rushing yards on the seasonwith 727 and 11 touchdowns.
Add to that a defense that has surrendered just 105 points on the season and recorded four shutouts. Olguin lauded the program head coach Mike Kovacs created in his five years with the teamwhich has produced two state titles.
“These guys are smartman,” Olguin said. “These coaches have been there a long time. And that’s another thing I want this community to see is — look how long these guys have been there. Some of the assistants have been there for 20 years. And that’s what it takes. You have to have continual consistency within your staff.”
It’s a program Olguin wants to emulatebut that takes time.
For nowall he and the Tigers have are slingshots to take into their matchup. Will they be enough to take down 4A’s Goliath?