Grine's Saturday Morning Coffee: Week 8 Recap
NMPreps publisher Joshua Grine captures the main headlines from Friday night in New Mexico high school football. With district play in full swing and the November playoffs quickly approaching, we break down the key implications of each game from an action-packed evening.
First Cheers: Eldorado Wins Potential Elimination Game
No. 14 Eldorado (4-3, 2-2) and No. 24 Sandia (3-4, 2-2) faced a must-win situation, and the Eldorado Eagles held on for a dramatic 14-10 victory. Eldorado sophomore Jahari Morehead made the play of the game, returning a punt for a touchdown while his team was down 10-7, turning the tide and securing the Eagles' spot in the playoff conversation. The victory positions Eldorado to claim one of the possible four district bids, keeping their postseason hopes alive.
Second Cheers: 2A Top Ranking Showdown
The 2A showdown between No. 1 Texico and No. 2 Eunice was one for the ages. Eunice jumped out to a commanding 21-0 first-half lead, but the Texico Wolverines stormed back, ultimately winning 36-28 in a thrilling comeback. The Wolverines improved to 7-0, essentially locking up the District 3-2A title and positioning themselves for the top seed in the playoffs. With both teams likely to make deep playoff runs, this could be the first of two epic matchups as they may meet again in the state championship game.
Third Cheers: Robertson Holds Bragging Rights in Las Vegas Rivalry
The battle for Las Vegas remained in the hands of the Robertson Cardinals (8-0, 2-0), who narrowly escaped an upset bid from rival West Las Vegas (3-4, 0-1) in a thrilling 28-26 victory. Robertson quarterback Jesse James Gonzales led the way with a 7-yard touchdown run, followed by a 62-yard touchdown pass to Nathaniel Gonzalez. Gonzales also connected on a 41-yard score, while George Smith electrified the crowd with an 85-yard kick return. West Las Vegas kept it close, with their quarterback answering with a 3-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. However, the Robertson defense stood strong, denying a crucial two-point conversion to secure the win and keep the Cardinals undefeated.
Rapid Fire
3-3A Battle: Dexter (8-0, 4-0) maintained their unbeaten record, fighting off Socorro (5-2, 2-1) with a 44-29 win to take the lead in district play. Hatch Valley (5-3, 2-2) kept their playoff hopes alive with a crucial 32-27 victory over Ruidoso (1-6, 1-2), while Hot Springs (4-3, 1-2) dominated Cobre (2-6, 0-4) in a 35-12 win to tighten things up in this competitive district. NMMI (5-2, 2-1) secured a 33-21 victory over El Paso Cathedral on Thursday night.
Clovis Gives Organ Mountain a Scare: Clovis (0-7, 0-3) showed some fight, taking a surprising 24-21 lead over Organ Mountain (4-4, 3-1) in the first half. However, the Knights woke up in the second half as Xavier Perez scored the go-ahead touchdown to make it 28-24, and they never looked back, pulling away for a 42-24 victory.
Rio Rancho Fends Off Piedra Vista for Key Win: The No. 6 Rio Rancho Rams (5-2, 2-0) narrowly avoided an upset bid from No. 23 Piedra Vista Panthers (1-6, 0-2), holding on for a 36-33 victory. Rio Rancho jumped out to an early lead with quarterback Micah Takahashi scoring on a pair of 1-yard rushing touchdowns, putting the Rams up 14-3. Gavien Smith extended the lead with a 5-yard rushing touchdown to make it 22-3. Piedra Vista fought back, cutting the deficit to 29-18 after a 1-yard touchdown run by James Barreras for Rio Rancho. Takahashi then connected with Parker Miller for a 9-yard touchdown pass, giving the Rams a 36-25 cushion. In the closing moments, Piedra Vista's Brig Keiser found the end zone with a 7-yard touchdown, and Reuben Martinez added a two-point conversion to make it 36-33. Despite the late surge, the Panthers couldn't complete the comeback, and Rio Rancho escaped with the win, maintaining their unbeaten record in district play.
Hozho Academy Makes History: Abraham Azua connected with Brandon Blue Eyes for a 21-yard touchdown, giving Hozho Academy (4-3, 1-1) an early 7-0 lead over the Newcomb Skyhawks (4-3, 0-2). The Wolves held on for a thrilling 41-36 win, marking their first district victory as a varsity program. With their rapid progress, Hozho Academy may be on track for a playoff appearance in just their first season.
Atrisco Heritage Ends Losing Streak: Atrisco Heritage (2-5, 1-3) claimed a 24-18 win over Santa Fe (2-5, 0-4) in the District 2-6A cellar showdown. Santa Fe was without head coach Andrew Martinez, who is on administrative leave. While playoff hopes seem slim for both teams, the Jaguars snapped a three-game losing streak, rebounding from last week’s tough six-point loss to West Mesa.
Pirates Make the Tigers Walk the Plank in Upset Win: The No. 6-ranked (NMPreps 4A Rankings) Taos Tigers (4-3, 2-2) fell in a nail-biter on the road against the No. 10 (4A) Grants Pirates (4-3, 3-1), losing 21-19 in a pivotal district showdown. The win extends Grants’ win streak to three games, positioning the Pirates for a possible top-8 seed in the state playoffs. Grants took a 21-13 lead with a crucial 3-yard touchdown run, putting them in control late in the game. However, Taos rallied, with Mateo Salazar breaking free for a 15-yard touchdown with under a minute left, cutting the lead to 21-19. The Tigers opted to go for a two-point conversion to tie the game but the Pirates' defense stood firm, denying the attempt and securing the upset victory.
