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NMPreps Holiday Takeaways & Favorites New Mexico Style

When you think of the top three holiday traditions in New Mexico the three food groups are considered the "best'' three food traditions.

5A BASKETBALL

Tamales: Cleveland
Scale: 5/5
Right Now: Final Four Plus One
Scoop: On our scale of top New Mexico holiday traditions, tamales reign king, and so do the Storm after six weeks of basketball. Yes, we've heard that the Storm have had talent and haven't done "it". I love what Jimenez does with Cleveland and this team has talent. Coming off a Holiday Tournament championship in Hobbs will fuel them into the 2020 portion of the season. Yes, they will have some bumps but they'll be there late.

Biscochitos: Volcano Vista, Onate, Las Cruces
Scale: 4/5
Right Now: Final Four Favorites
Scoop: We had to place three teams in the mix and Volcano Vista is playing in this "who are you?" and "how good are you?" section. They played well early and have some prospects but a wait and see some more of them. Next, we have the southern schools in Onate and Las Cruces in the mix. Las Cruces will likely have over 22-wins again and be right there when it matters. Onate features one of the best players in New Mexico and surely a Final Four favorite. Which of the three makes it to the Final Four? That is still up for debate. How how do you have the sugar delight of a biscochito? Could that also be where you have these three teams?

Posole: Atrisco Heritage, Clovis, Rio Rancho, Capital, Santa Fe
Scale: 2.5/5
Right Now: Elite Eight/Final Four Dark Horse
Scoop: The biggest group of the bunch. Also, because posole is made so many different ways. Also, I like it but don't love it (don't take my NM card away, if that is a bad thing to say). I mean I didn't mind a bowl this holiday season but generally I can do with or without it. I will say this year I really liked it with a few sopapillas on the side.

Capital is damn good. They could be the bowl that I had this season and I've continued the praise of Ben Gomez for many years, back to one of my first state tournaments covering for myself in a school journal blog, with Mikey Dominguez and bunch taking over beating Deming. Man that game will always stick out to me. Santa Fe was the darling from last season and JB is the top ranked prospect but can they create magic again? They sure can shoot it. Imagine both Capital and Santa Fe in the Final Four? The army of fans that Adrienne (SF head coach wife and Capital head coach daughter) would bring would shutdown the Capital of New Mexico. Is the posole good, great or a pass this year? One or two bowls (both in the Final Four?).

Atrisco Heritage is the defending champ and shouldn't be forgotten. Head coach Adrian Ortega is our top ranked head coach in New Mexico entering the season. Is this the season we pass on the posole? The unlikely or sleeper of all is the Clovis Wildcats. When do we take them serious or are they one of those years when we fill up on tamales and go straight to biscochitos? Rio Rancho is in the mix but we don't know where. I love egg nog. Egg nog my sleeper. Can they upset the others on the list though? Some years egg nog is my favorite part but like posole, some years, I didn't realize that I didn't have any. I love it but can I take it over tamales and biscochitos?

December 30th Picks
State Championship: Cleveland vs Capital
Final Four: Cleveland, Las Cruces, Onate, Capital
Elite Eight: Cleveland, Las Cruces, Onate, Capital, Santa Fe, Clovis, Atrisco Heritage, Volcano Vista

Armando Silva Roswell HS - 2020
Austin Salas Las Cruces HS 2020
Ayden Madrid Bernalillo - 2021: 172 total tackles
Felix Gonzales Eunice 2020
Isiah Saiz Portales HS 107 total tackles
JT Seitzinger Bloomfield 2020: 71 total tackles
Kaston Ramage Goddard HS 2020
Max Jaramillo Socorro HS - 2020: 106 total tackles
Noah Woisin La Cueva HS - 2020: 87 total tackles
Tres Villalpando Cleveland - 2020: 73 total tackles

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How good is this team? Beat Santa Fe in double OT

5A BASKETBALL POWER 12

No. 1 Piedra Vista Panthers
Record: 12-0 overall
Notes: 3-0 last week. Won Alamogordo tournament.
Wins: Los Lunas, Silver, Alamogordo
Losses: --
Movement:--

No. 2 Hobbs Eagles
Record: 14-0 overall
Notes: 3-0 last week. Won Hobbs Holiday Classic
Wins: Aztec, El Paso-Canutillo, El Paso-El Dorado
Losses: --
Movement: --

No. 3 Centennial Hawks
Record: 12-0 overall
Notes: 3-0 last week. Won Las Cruces Hoopla Tournament.
Wins: Artesia, Shiprock, Mayfield
Losses: --
Movement: --

No. 4 Mayfield Trojans
Record: 8-3 overall
Notes: 2-1 last week. Runner Up at Las Cruces Hoopla.
Wins: Cibola, Deming
Losses: Centennial
Movement: --

No. 5 Sandia Matadors
Record: 7-1 overall
Notes: Open
Wins: --
Losses: --
Movement: --

No. 6 Volcano Vista Hawks
Record: 6-1 overall
Notes: Open
Wins: --
Losses: --
Movement: --

No. 7 West Mesa Mustangs
Record: 5-2 overall
Notes: Open
Wins: --
Losses: --
Movement: --

No. 8 La Cueva Bears
Record: 5-1 overall
Notes: Open
Wins: --
Losses: --
Movement: --

No. 9 Cibola Cougars
Record: 5-3 overall
Notes: Went 2-1 at the Las Cruces Hoopla.
Wins: Las Cruces, Artesia
Losses: Mayfield
Movement: --

No. 10 Carlsbad Cavegirls
Record: 7-2 overall
Notes: Open
Wins: --
Losses: --
Movement: --

No. 11 Cleveland Storm
Record: 7-3 overall
Notes: Open
Wins: --
Losses: --
Movement: --

No. 12 Farmington Scorpions
Record: 8-3 overall
Notes: Went 2-1 at the Hobbs Holiday Classic
Wins: El Paso-Cautillo, Grants
Losses: El Paso-El Dorado
Movement: +1 (13)

Notes & More

Out: Las Cruces (12)
New: Farmington (12)

5A BASKETBALL POWER 16

Top 8

No. 1 CLEVELAND STORM
Record: 10-0 overall
Notes: Went 3-0 claiming the 61st Hobbs Holiday Classic.
Wins: Artesia, Canutillo (TX), Hobbs
Losses: --
Movement (Last Week): Even (1)

No. 2 VOLCANO VISTA HAWKS
Record: 8-0 overall
Notes: Open Last Week
Wins: --
Losses: --
Movement (LW): +1 (3)

No. 3 LAS CRUCES BULLDAWGS
Record: 11-1 overall
Notes: Won the Las Cruces Hoopla Tournament.
Wins: Onate, Deming, Carlsbad
Losses: --
Movement (LW): +1 (4)

No. 4 ONATE KNIGHTS
Record: 12-1 overall
Notes: Runner up at the Las Cruces Holiday Hoopla.
Wins: Cibola, Centennial
Losses: Las Cruces
Movement (LW): -2 (2)

No. 5 CAPITAL JAGUARS
Record: 10-1 overall
Notes: Open last week
Wins: --
Losses: --
Movement (LW): Even (5)

No. 6 SANTA FE DEMONS
Record: 10-2 overall
Notes: Went 2-1, finished 3rd place at the Rio Rancho tournament.
Wins: Socorro (TX), Hope Christian
Losses: Highland
Movement (LW): Even (6)

No. 7 CARLSBAD CAVEMEN
Record: 8-3 overall
Notes: Went 2-1, finished 3rd at the Las Cruces Hoopla Tournament.
Wins: Mayfield, Centennial
Losses: Las Cruces
Movement (LW): Even (7)

No. 8 ELDORADO EAGLES
Record: 7-0 overall
Notes: Open last week.
Wins: --
Losses: --
Movement (LW): Even (8)

Back Eight

No. 9 Atrisco Heritage Jaguars (5-2 overall)
No. 10 Hobbs Eagles (9-6 overall)
No. 11 Clovis Wildcats (8-3 overall)
No. 12 Rio Rancho Rams (5-4 overall) +2
No. 13 Roswell Coyotes (10-3 overall) +2
No. 14 La Cueva Bears (4-3 overall) -2
No. 15 Gadsden Panthers (6-5 overall) -2
No. 16 Alamogordo Tigers (9-3 overall) New

Movement: Rio Rancho and Roswell both move up a few spots this week with regular season tournament wins at their home tournaments. Rio Rancho, maybe, with the most impressive wins of the week and a top-8 like team in 5A come January. Also, we should note that Clovis went 3-0 this week winning their home tournament. The new team this week is Alamogordo, that also went 3-0 hosting their Kiwanis Invite.

Out: West Mesa | New: Alamogordo

Fallon Velasquez-Senior from Mescalero HS achieved a major milestone this weekend by scoring her 2,000th career point in the Striking Eagle Tournament. She now stands at 2,002 career points.

How's the coaching carousal going this year? Espanola is open but I haven't heard of any other openings.

Coming soon.

what do you have?

Keith Alvarado Eldorado- 2020 - Offensive Lineman

Dylan Avalos Socorro - 2020 - Offensive Lineman

Noah Mendoza Eunice HS - 2020 - Offensive Lineman

Josh Castillo Roswell HS - 2020 - Offensive Lineman

Tyler Barb Rio Rancho HS - 2020 - Offensive Lineman

Bryce Cabeldue Clovis HS - 2020 - Offensive Lineman

Tyrus Charley Volcano Vista HS - 2020- Offensive Lineman

Parker Pulley Cleveland HS - 2020 - Offensive Lineman

Larry Luna Goddard HS - 2020 - Offensive Lineman

Philip Blidi Portales HS - 2020 - Offensive Lineman

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December 20

Bahamas Bowl
Buffalo vs. Charlotte
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas)
12 p.m. | ESPN

Frisco Bowl
Kent State vs. Utah State
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, TX)
5:30 p.m. | ESPN2

December 21

Celebration Bowl
Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
10 a.m. | ABC

New Mexico Bowl
Central Michigan vs. San Diego State
Dreamstyle Stadium (Albuquerque, NM)
12 p.m. | ESPN

Cure Bowl
Liberty vs. Georgia Southern
Exploria Stadium (Orlando, FL)
12:30 p.m. | CBSSN

Boca Raton Bowl
FAU vs. SMU
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, FL)
1:30 p.m. | ABC

Camellia Bowl
Arkansas State vs. Florida International
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, AL)
3:30 p.m. | ESPN

Las Vegas Bowl
No. 19 Boise State vs. Washington
Sam Boyd Stadium (Las Vegas, NV)
5:30 p.m. | ABC

New Orleans Bowl
No. 20 Appalachian State vs. UAB
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans, LA)
7 p.m. | ESPN

December 23

Gasparilla Bowl
Marshall vs. UCF
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
12:30 p.m. | ESPN

December 24

Hawai'i Bowl
BYU vs. Hawai'i
Aloha Stadium (Honolulu, HI)
6 p.m. | ESPN

December 26

Independence Bowl
Louisiana Tech vs. Miami (Fla.)
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, LA)
1 p.m. | ESPN

Quick Lane Bowl
Eastern Michigan vs. Pittsburgh
Ford Field (Detroit, MI)
6 p.m. | ESPN

December 27

Military Bowl
North Carolina vs. Temple
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, MD)
10 a.m. | ESPN

Pinstripe Bowl
Michigan State vs. Wake Forest
Yankee Stadium (New York, NY)
1:20 p.m. | ESPN

Texas Bowl
No. 25 Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M
NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
4:45 p.m. | ESPN

Holiday Bowl
No. 16 Iowa vs. No. 22 Southern California
SDCCU Stadium (San Diego, CA)
6 p.m. | FS1

Cheez-It Bowl
Air Force vs. Washington State
Chase Field (Phoenix, AZ)
8:15 p.m. | ESPN

December 28

Camping World Bowl
No. 15 Notre Dame vs. Iowa State
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, FL)
10 a.m. | ABC

Cotton Bowl Classic
No. 10 Penn State vs. No. 17 Memphis
AT&T Stadium (Dallas, TX)
10 a.m. | ESPN

Peach Bowl (College Football Playoff semifinal)
No. 1 LSU vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
2 p.m. | ESPN

Fiesta Bowl (College Football Playoff semifinal)
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Clemson
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, AZ)
6 p.m. | ESPN

December 30

First Responder Bowl
Western Kentucky vs. Western Michigan
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas, TX)
10:30 a.m. | ESPN

Music City Bowl
Louisville vs. Mississippi State
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, TN)
2 p.m. | ESPN

Redbox Bowl
California vs. Illinois
Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
2 p.m. | FOX

Orange Bowl
No. 9 Florida vs. No. 24 Virginia
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, FL)
6 p.m. | ESPN

December 31

Belk Bowl
Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
10 a.m. | ESPN

Sun Bowl
Arizona State vs. Florida State
Sun Bowl (El Paso, TX)
12 p.m. | CBS

Liberty Bowl
Kansas State vs. Navy
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Memphis, TN)
1:45 p.m. | ESPN

Arizona Bowl
Georgia State vs. Wyoming
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, AZ)
2:30 p.m. | CBSSN

Alamo Bowl
No. 11 Utah vs. Texas
Alamodome (San Antonio, TX_
5:30 p.m. | ESPN

January 1

Citrus Bowl
No. 13 Alabama vs. No. 14 Michigan
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, FL)
11 a.m. | ABC

Outback Bowl
No. 12 Auburn vs. No. 18 Minnesota
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
11 a.m. | ESPN

Rose Bowl Game
No. 6 Oregon vs. No. 8 Wisconsin
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)
3 p.m. | ESPN

Sugar Bowl
No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 7 Baylor
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans, LA)
6:45 p.m. | ESPN

January 2

Birmingham Bowl
No. 21 Cincinnati vs. Boston College
Legion Field (Birmingham, AL)
1 p.m. | ESPN

Gator Bowl
Indiana vs. Tennessee
TIAA Bank Stadium (Jacksonville, FL)
5 p.m. | ESPN

January 3

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Nevada vs. Ohio
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, ID)
1:30 p.m. | ESPN

January 4

Armed Forces Bowl
Southern Miss vs. Tulane
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, TX)
9:30 a.m. | ESPN

January 6

LendingTree Bowl
Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Miami (Ohio)
Ladd-Peebles Stadium (Mobile, AL)
5:30 p.m. | ESPN

January 13

College Football Playoff National Championship Game
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans, LA)
6 p.m. | ESPN

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What's your take right now on teams?

2019 New Mexico Defensive Back of the Year

• Jacob Carbajal - La Cueva HS - 2020: 68 total tackles on the season and 3 interceptions.
• Trey Ortega - Cleveland HS - 2021: 37 total tackles, 2 INTs.
• Brandon Padilla - Volcano Vista HS - 2020: 50 total tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT.
• Malik Phillips - Clovis HS - 2020: 58 total tackles, INTs.
• Talon Sanders - Roswell HS - 2020
• Alex Lucero - Los Lunas HS - 2020: 44 total tackles, 3 INTs.
• Nate Stone - Goddard HS - 2020
• Jalen Allen - Portales - 2020: 42 total tackles, 3 INTs
• Antonio Padilla - Robertson HS - 2020: 32 total tackles, 1 INT
• Avante Stevens - Eunice HS - 2020: 5 INTs

VOTING
2019 Quarterback of the Year
2019 Running Back of the Year
2019 Wide Receiver of the Year
2019 Offensive Lineman of the Year
2019 Defensive Lineman of the Year
2019 Linebacker of the Year
2019 Defensive Back of the Year
2019 Kicker/Punter of the Year
2019 Coach of the Year
*Ends December 31st

Hobbs 400th win on Thursday night over Aztec

Signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers on Monday. The deal also included an invite to major league spring training.

Who stood out this week? Any surprises?

BIG THREE

Cleveland (9-0) at Hobbs (9-5): The NMPreps.com number one ranked team - Cleveland Storm will look to take home a tournament championship against the host team Hobbs in the 61st Holiday Classic. Both teams are long, athletic and push the ball. Tre Watson (Cleveland) is one to watch, a wing that plays above the rim.

Las Cruces (9-1) at Onate (12-0): Onate, ranked second in the NMPreps poll, will host their crosstown district opponent Las Cruces in the Hoopla Championship. This will be the first of many battles between the two area schools.

Rio Rancho (4-4) vs Highland (6-1): The two schools take the court again after facing each other recently on the same court. Highland took the first game, and is coming off a huge win over Santa Fe in double overtime. The Rams will look to protect their home court as the host to their tournament.

More to keep an eye on

Cleveland (7-3) and Albuquerque (3-4) will square off in Clovis for that tournament. Both teams have the potential to play a couple rounds in March.

Artesia (3-5) and Shiprock (3-6) will square off in Hobbs. Don't be shocked to see both teams play late into the season. It was my first view of Shiprock and I liked this team. Artesia is long and ranked high but this could either be a good classification test or trap game for seventh.

How good is this team?

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Send us all-tournament teams

Who do you have? What years?