Rise & Grine: Thursday Truths
NMPreps Publisher Joshua Grine's Take on the Excitement and Debates in Week 10
As we hit Week 10 of the New Mexico high school football season, playoff implications are intensifying. The playoff bubble in 6A football is as volatile as ever, with three OUT bubble teams in play for the final slots, and more could emerge after this weekend. The realignment for the 2024-2026 cycle has spiced up the conversation. But has it truly brought excitement to the playoff bubble? And more importantly, is the playoff system—particularly the number of teams—still the right approach?
Bubble Watch: District 2-6A, District 1-6A, and District 3-6A Battles
In District 2-6A, we're seeing teams like Albuquerque High (4-4, 2-3) ready to throw a wrench into the playoff equation. An upset win over Sandia (4-4, 3-2) could cause chaos, potentially reshuffling the rankings and thrustng Albuquerque back into playoff contention. Same goes for West Mesa (4-4, 2-3), who faces a huge game against Eldorado (5-3, 3-2). An upset here could be a game-changer!
Over in District 1-6A, the Farmington Scorpions (4-4, 1-2) are set to face Rio Rancho (5-3, 2-1). If Farmington can somehow come out on top in this matchup, especially at The Hutch in Farmington, we could witness a seismic shift in the 7-12 playoff seed range. Suddenly, teams like Rio Rancho and Eldorado could find themselves looking over their shoulders as Farmington creeps into the conversation.
Further south in District 3-6A, the Carlsbad Cavemen (4-4, 2-2) have a make-or-break opportunity against Las Cruces (6-2, 4-0). Las Cruces has been a model of consistency all season, but Carlsbad’s potential upset could thrust the Cavemen back into the playoff conversation. Or are they already extinct for good? Cruces is playing some of their best football right now, so it won’t be easy, but a Cavemen victory would be the ultimate shakeup in 6A.
Then there’s Organ Mountain (4-5, 3-2)—arguably one of the best success stories of the season after last year's 0-10 debacle. An upset win this week could see them go from afterthoughts to playoff participants, solidifying their remarkable turnaround. This weekend will undoubtedly be a “bubble-popping weekend” with serious implications across the board.
Is 12 Teams Too Many for the Playoffs? The Debate Heats Up
One of the hottest debates on NMPreps is about alignment and playoff structures. Is 12 teams in 6A too many? Some argue that cutting it down to 8 or 10 teams would intensify competition and raise the stakes for seeding. Teams hovering around the 8-10 range would feel the pressure, knowing they need to win out to avoid missing the playoffs altogether. Imagine the drama if only the top 8 seeds made it, leaving teams like Cleveland playing in the first round instead of comfortably securing a bye.
On the flip side, fewer playoff spots mean fewer opportunities for seniors who might never play another down of competitive football again. Some might say, "What's one more game if it's a blowout?" But we’ve seen upsets before. The chance of a Cinderella story—however slim—adds an element of unpredictability to the playoffs that we wouldn't want to lose.
But still, others think 12 is the magic number. We’ve seen #11 and #12 seeds hang tough or even pull upsets in recent years. The New Mexico high school football NMPreps community is split on this: Are 12 teams too many? Or is it just right to give more teams a shot?
Realignment Quirks: What’s with These District Sizes?
The 2024-2026 realignment has been an interesting experiment. But some are questioning why certain districts were grouped the way they were. District 1-6A has six teams, 2-6A has eight, and 3-6A has seven. Is it fair? Should Los Lunas, which sits in District 2-6A, really be in the south rather than Clovis?
The travel burdens are worth discussing too. Clovis, for example, might be better off in District 1-6A, where travel to Hobbs, Carlsbad, and Alamogordo in non-district would actually be shorter than its current setup. The speculation is never-ending. Could we see a future realignment that considers regional travel more equitably?
If we were to rethink realignment, how about placing the top nine programs into three evenly split districts, then considering travel distances for non-district games? A team like Los Lunas would have less travel than Clovis in District 3-6A, but maybe Clovis would benefit more from a south-heavy non-district schedule. Should Los Lunas be placed in a south-heavy district and have less travel in non-district games playing APS? Plenty of questions, and everyone’s got a take.
District 1-6A - La Cueva, Volcano Vista, Sandia, Clovis, Eldorado, Santa Fe, Albuquerque
District 2-6A - Cleveland, Rio Rancho, Farmington, Piedra Vista, Cibola, West Mesa, Atrisco Heritage
District 3-6A - Centennial, Las Cruces, Organ Mountain, Los Lunas, Hobbs, Alamogordo, Carlsbad
Rotate Los Lunas with an APS every year (not every two years).
Let the debate begin.
