Cleveland running back Josh Perry bolts down the right side for a 30-yard touchdown run 50 seconds into regulation against Las Cruces on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Lightning Bolt Stadium.
(Matt Hollinshead/Observer)

Josh Perry helped ensure Cleveland would not only start fast, but also finish off Las Cruces fast, blazing to a 42-7 win in Friday’s 6A football matchup at Lightning Bolt Stadium.

Fifty seconds into regulation, the Cleveland running back bolted down the right side for a 30-yard touchdown run.

“It felt great. I saw a dude try to dive on me, so I just stiff-armed him, walked in pretty much,” Perry said.

Perry, a junior, tacked on two more touchdown runs in the first quarter, plus the final exclamation point with 44 seconds left in the third quarter — resuming the 35-point running clock for a second time.

“I just came out, came prepared and ready to work,” said Perry, who tallied four touchdown runs.

Storm cornerback Jaiden Nuñez, a senior, help start the first running clock of the night just before halftime. He jumped up, intercepted the ball and took it back for a pick-six. Cleveland led 35-0 at that point.

Shortly before Nuñez’s pick-six, CHS quarterback Evan Wysong, a junior, scored on a 14-yard quarterback keeper, darting into the right corner.

Las Cruces quarterback Dallas Boyd, a senior, scored the Bulldawgs’ only touchdown on a 7-yard quarterback keeper.

Cleveland improved to 4-0 on the season, while Las Cruces dropped to 1-3.