Capital Highās Kevin Brown keeps the ball out of the hands of Robertsonās Sebastian Gonzales in 2015 at Las Vegas, N.M. Penalties and mistakes cost Capital as the Jaguars lost 50-28 to Robertson.
Defenses have mostly struggled at slowing down the 5-foot-6 Cardinals quarterback Matthew Gonzales, who in 2021 averaged 209.9 yards of total offense and was the Cardinalsā leading rusher with 1,058 yards.
Robertsonās James Gonzales III attempts to run past St. Michaelās defense in 2013.
Katharine Egli/For the New Mexican
Capital Highās Kevin Brown keeps the ball out of the hands of Robertsonās Sebastian Gonzales in 2015 at Las Vegas, N.M. Penalties and mistakes cost Capital as the Jaguars lost 50-28 to Robertson.
New Mexican file photo
Defenses have mostly struggled at slowing down the 5-foot-6 Cardinals quarterback Matthew Gonzales, who in 2021 averaged 209.9 yards of total offense and was the Cardinalsā leading rusher with 1,058 yards.
Gonzales and Gonzalez ā a football firm that came to an end after 14 years Saturday.
On one end was the family of James Gonzales Jr., whose five sons who spent almost a decade and a half playing a predominant role in one of the greatest small-programs in the state at Las Vegas Robertson. The other is a head coach in Leroy Gonzalez, who oversaw each and every one of the boys from the moment he took over the Cardinals in 2010.
And every son played his part in Cardinals glory. Combined, brothers James III, Sebastian, Matthew, Jesse James and Nathaniel were a part of two state championship teams, four runners-ups and five district champions.
Four of the brothers were All-State selections. Two of them, Matthew and Jesse James, were district players of the year ā twice. Jesse James earned his second straight distinction this fall.
In fact, the golden age of Cardinals football can be traced by that one family. James was the fire starter, as he was a part of the miraculous 2013 team that won the state title as the ninth seed.
Sebastian played on the first of four straight state runner-up teams in 2015. Matthew was on the last, and was the starting quarterback of the 2021 state title team. Jesse James and Nathaniel were a part of that squad, as well, and added to the legacy when the Cardinals reached the 3A title game last November.
During that incredible stretch was a two-year period in which no Gonzales boys were on a Gonzalez-coached team (2016 and 2017), but it was merely a blip on the radar.
That blip finally went dark the moment Dexterās CJ Granados nailed a 32-yard field goal Saturday to ensure a 27-24 win over the Cardinals in a Class 3A semifinal. In the final act of the Gonzales family ā for now ā Jesse James threw for 194 yards and a touchdown while also recording a 1-yard touchdown run.
Gonzalez, as disappointed he was at the end of the season, was even more glum about the end of an incredible era.
āTheyāre basically family to me,ā Gonzalez said. ā[Jesse James and Nathaniel, who are twins] have been with me since they were little kids. I mean, Matthew, Jesse, Nathanial and [Gonzalezās youngest son] Ace, they were hanging out by the end zone at practice, making football guys out of the [tackle] dummies.ā
The first thought Jesse James had after the game was not just the end of his football career at Robertson. It was the last time his brothers would be playing for the guy they affectionately call āCoach G.ā
āThatās what hit me first,ā Jesse James said. āAnd then it hit me a lot when I saw him in the locker room, knowing that was the end with him.ā
Jesse James echoed what all of his brothers thought of Gonzalez ā a secondary father figure who knew them as more than just players. Heās been a regular visitor at home and at school, as Gonzalez has worked at the school district since 2009. Matthew, Jesse James and Nathaniel regard Ace as another brother because they have been friends since they were in elementary school.
Itās a relationship that goes beyond football.
āMe and my brothers have learned so much from him,ā Jesse James said. āHe taught us about football and he taught us about life. There is no other coach I would want to play and fight for.ā
Gonzalez said he is not contemplating retirement.
He freely admits that heās a coaching lifer and has no plans to leave Robertson.
āIf they want me,ā he chuckled.
But if fate and the Gonzales family have their way, āCoach Gā could very well be around for the next generation. And heās coming Monday, as the family will welcome Sebastianās son to the world.
All that leaves is 14 years of waiting, but the firm could have a second act.
And you can guarantee it would be a fruitful one.
James Barron writes an opinion column about sports in New Mexico. Contact Barron at 505-603-9465 or jbarron @sfnewmexican.com.
