Unbeaten No. 1 East Mountain Faces Road Test at Class 4A Moriarty

MORIARTY, N.M. — Unbeaten Class 3A No. 1 East Mountain puts its flawless record on the line Tuesday at 6 PM when it travels across the East Mountains to face Class 4A No. 17 Moriarty in an early-season non-district showdown.

The Timberwolves (6-0) enter the contest boasting one of the state’s most lethal attacks, averaging six goals per game behind an evenly distributed, multi-pronged offense. Junior forward Josh Sanchez and junior midfielder Kaamez Hataburda have spearheaded the assault, tallying eight goals apiece through the team’s first five recorded contests. Hataburda also shares the team lead in playmaking with three assists, matching juniors Zavier Hawkins and Vaden Parsons, alongside seniors Carter Betonie and Noah Gomez.

Hawkins (five goals, three assists) and freshman Oliver Chinn (four goals) provide additional scoring depth for East Mountain, which has produced 30 total goals and 22 assists while stifling opponents across the board.

Moriarty (3-3), looking to bounce back onto the plus side of .500, counters with a top-heavy attack anchored by senior forward Jonah Buck. Despite appearing in only three games this season, Buck has been hyper-efficient, racking up seven goals and two assists in 152 minutes of action.

Senior Wesley Francis complements Buck with three goals in three appearances, while senior Samuel Pearce has anchored the Pinto midfield over five matches, contributing three goals and a team-high three assists. Moriarty’s offense also relies heavily on junior Dominic Brown, who leads the Pintos with 10 corner kicks while logging two goals and two assists.

Defensively, Moriarty will have its hands full containing East Mountain’s high-octane transition game. The Pintos will look toward junior goalkeeper Andrew Siefkes and a back line featuring seniors Nathan Dick and Jack Otero to disrupt the Timberwolves’ rhythm and slow the pace.