LA JUNTA– Defending Class 2A state champion La Junta depended on the dynamic duo of quarterback Jon Nuschy and running back Wyatt Buhr to keep the Alamosa defense guessing in a Top 10 matchup here Friday, won by the host Tigers 21-13.

No. 3 ranked La Junta never trailed the No. 9 Mean Moose, but saw the visitors draw to within one point at the 3:36 mark of the third quarter, 14-13, on a spinning, three-yard TD run by Angelo Ramirez, his second score of the night. The Tigers put up an insurance touchdown with 54 seconds left in the contest to secure the win.

Alamosa, 2-0 on the season for the first time since 2006, slipped to 2-1 while La Junta improved to 2-0. The Moose will host Trinidad for an early-season homecoming game next Friday with hopes of getting back on the winning side of things.

An interception and a lost fumble, in addition to a couple of other miscues they recovered themselves, slowed the AHS attack at times, while the Tigers survived 10 penalties but had luck on their side in other situations. La Junta's second TD came on a tipped, 30-yard pass and their final score followed a successful fake punt in Moose territory.

Buhr rumbled for more than 100 yards, while Nuschy did damage both on the ground and through the air for the hosts.

The Tigers kept the previously vaunted Moose rushing attack in check much of the night. Quarterback John Lujan struggled some in the second half after an impressive start in the first two outings, but still completed a two-yard TD pass to Ramirez to get Alamosa on the board with 5:10 left in the first half. Katie Gallegos made her 10th PAT kick in 12 attempts this season to knot the score at 7-7, but unfortunately was wide right on her second try.

Alamosa stopped the Tigers on their first possession of the second half and marched 73-yards to paydirt including a 37-yard completion from Lujan to Chad Jackson and were successful on a sixth fourth down attempt this year on a 15-yard bullet to Austin Barrows, helping set up Ramirez's second TD.