Lobo fans will have to look all the back to the 1996 season to find the last time Snowflake started a football season winless through the first two weeks of the year. In fact, that season they dropped their first three games. Playing at the 4A level now the Lobos fell to Cactus on Sept. 1 by a final of 17-20. That loss comes on the heels of the opening week 10-point loss to Bradshaw Mountain.
Snowflake got on the board first with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Brennan Bryant to Payton Papa. Sam Brown’s point-after kick put the Lobos on top 7-0 late in the first quarter.
The Cobras answered Snowflake’s score with an eight-yard run midway through the second quarter, tying the game at 7-7. After holding the Lobos with their defense, Cactus quickly broke the tie on a 35-yard scoring toss. The PAT failed but the home team was up 13-7 with six minutes left in the half. Moments later the Cobras took advantage of a Lobo turnover and quickly found the endzone on a short pass. The point-after kick was good, putting the home team up 20-7.
Sam Brown narrowed the gap by three points with his 36-yard field goal late in the half, making the score 20-10, which is where the half ended.
Snowflake put together a long drive through the third period but came up short inside the Cobra five yard line on a fourth down attempt. The Lobo defense quickly got the ball back with an interception and the Lobos scored in two plays, making the score 20-17 with Cactus still on top by three.
Both teams traded punts and possessions in the fourth period. The Lobos did attempt a 48-yard field goal midway through the quarter, which was unsuccessful, leaving Cactus with the three-point victory.
Brennen Bryant completed 16 of his 26 passes for 164 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Karter Raban led the team in rushing, with 121 yards on 18 carries. Merrick Ulberg gained 7, Kanton Turley had 6, and Bryant had one net rushing yard. Payton Papa was the leading receiver, with 69 yards on four catches. Ulberg had seven receptions for 55 yards. Colton Tidwell caught 3 for 24, Ezra Baum had 1 for 11, and Raban had one five-yard catch.
