6A FOOTBALL: 2020 PRESEASON RANKINGS
The 2020 New Mexico high school football season won't officially begin until March 2021 but it's time to start debating the team rankings. Who are the favorites, contenders, and dark horses in the bunch. #nmpreps #nmprepsTop25
NO. 19 ATRISCO HERITAGE ACADEMY
Newly hired head coach Howard Knezevich knows the uphill battle he has inherited taking over the Jaguars football program, fresh off a 1-8 overall season. The schedules have yet to be released (we've tried a few times at reaching out to APS) but just looking at their district you see the likes of Cleveland, Rio Rancho, Volcano Vista and what could be a very good Cibola team. The Jaguars will battle out of the cellar with West Mesa. The Jaguars linebackers led by
Christopher Rios (2021/6-foot-1) will spearhead a very underrated defense that will also feature defensive lineman
Eddie Acosta (2021). The Jaguars will likely be in the 1 or 2 win column but hiring Knezevich was a great hire coming from Rio Rancho and could bring life back into the program.
NO. 18 WEST MESA MUSTANGS
Head coach Anthony Ansotigue enters year two at the helm of West Mesa High School. After going 1-9 overall (0-5 in district) in his first season the Mustangs are hoping a year will make a difference. The Mustangs, a young squad last season with only a handful of seniors could still be fighting to stay out of the cellar because of some program building that they'll still endure but they have some bright spots. From what we've heard so far the program made a great decision bringing in Ansotigue and buy in is taking off. He also returns 2022 quarterback
Daniel Ayala who is looking to take on more of a leadership role this coming season. For a program that hasn't tasted the playoffs since moving into the new district (2017) they are building it the right way. Maybe a year away from getting to the 3/4 win mark but it's a start.
NO. 17 ONATE KNIGHTS
The Onate Knights have won 4-games in three years and hoping to make some strides forward. Head coach Steve Castille enters year two at the helm and looking to continue moving this program back in the right direction. The Knights turn their attention to 2022 quarterback
Aiden Rosser who entered the season late but held is own to close out the season. If Rosser can develop quickly the Knights could make some huge strides forward. On defense
Diego Quinonez (2021) looks to push them forward and hoping to end his Knight career on a high note. The Knights have been a program that can compete in the past and with the solid hire bringing in Castille they should get things back on the upswing but with the addition of the pandemic and building a program this could be a three-four year job to get them back into playoff talk.
NO. 16 GADSDEN PANTHERS
The Gadsden Panthers job is arguably one of the toughest jobs in New Mexico and winning only five games in as many years is an example of just how tough. The Panthers made a very good hire in Dino Facio Jr. and with us putting them 16th to start the 2020 season tells we are expecting a move forward, although this year eventually becomes a judgement free zone, for the most part, with only seven games. Yes, the Panthers graduated some important pieces from last season but the defense has some players that can fill the void. Allen Meza (2022) and Gabriel Orduno (2021/LB-TE) will be the two players to watch this coming season for the Panthers defense. Looking at the schedule for this Spring the Panthers go with five district games (Hobbs, Onate, Carlsbad, Las Cruces, Centennial) and two non-district games with their opener, Alamogordo followed by Deming.
NO. 15 ALBUQUERQUE BULLDOGS
The Albuquerque High Bulldogs are back in 6A football after spending a few years as an independent. They are coming off a 5-5 overall season and looking to compete on their return to a district. That district being with the likes of Clovis, Eldorado, La Cueva, Sandia, Manzano and Santa Fe. They bring back a junior quarterback in Daysean Fuentes (2022) who played well last season guiding the Bulldogs. He is more likely to use his legs but there is a couple times of him letting it fly down the middle. He's quick on the ground and hits the hole well, made good decisions when to handoff or when to keep it. On defense we are going to pair him with Luke Mummert (2021) and Jorge Bolivar (2021). The four sport athlete Mummert is one that we could hear plenty of this coming season, coming off a 75-tackle, 2 sack season in 2019. The Dogs are expected to battle for a win in district or is this team looking for 2/3 wins in district?
NO. 14 SANTA FE DEMONS
The Santa Fe Demons are coming off a 4-win season and looking to continue the building process of a program that once sat dormant in cellar of the state. The next task is moving up in classification to participate in 6A football. The Demons have junior quarterback Luc Jaramillo (2022) returning after a sound sophomore season. Another year under his belt should help in his development, he also rushed for nearly 300 yards last season. Martell Mora (2022) and Estevan Martinez (2022) also return in the backfield and could become a nice duo in their second season leading the way for the Demons. Matthew Maestas (2021) will anchor the defense for the Demons this coming season, he led the way with over 150 total tackles. The Demons will have their hands full moving up and playing in District Metro II but could be fighting for 2/3 wins like others.
NO. 13 MANZANO MONARCHS
The Monarchs are a few seasons removed from their 2017 State Championship and perfect season. They have gone through a transition and miss some of the talent that was displayed on that perfect team four seasons ago. The Monarchs will need to replace their quarterback again as Jace Melfi has graduated along with athlete Austin Erickson. Looking forward is answering the question of whom will be QB-1? Jared Melfi (2022), will be a junior this season and did get to throw a couple passes last season. The team was 50-50 run/pass success last season and will need to replace any back that rushed for over 100-yards. The bright spot maybe being the return of Antwaan Wilson (2021) and Napoliean Price (2021) at receiver, both around 115 yards. The defense appears to be in a transitional rebuild as well and will miss the presence of Stone Davis. Daniel Montano (2021) will be the leader along with Teasi Richardson (2021) this season.
NO. 12 CARLSBAD CAVEMEN
The Cavemen finally got over the hump last season reaching the playoffs and going over .500 for the first time under head coach Gary Bradley. The Cavemen went 6-5 overall and 3-3 in district play during the 2019 season. This is after three consecutive 4-6 seasons. Moving forward could be stepping back for the Cavemen this season. They lose arguably one of their most talented rosters that included next level players Shamar Smith, Crimson McKenzie, and Nate Najar. Who steps in at QB? Who will replace Najar at RB? The line has to replace its best player again. Could be a year of rebuild and with only a spring session of football, maybe they use it as a true rebuild for the 2021 fall season.
Kyle Ramirez (DB) is a 2021 name we've heard at this point along with
Stoney Trujillo (DE/2021) as players to watch on defense.
NO. 11 HOBBS EAGLES
Ken Stevens rebuilding effort at Hobbs High school is set to continue into the 2020 season with a small jump in the rankings. After finished 2-8 and missing the playoffs last season the Eagles are hoping a year under former Eunice head coach will be a difference maker. Getting to the postseason in 2020 will require a more wide receivers to emerge after graduating four of the top five reception leaders.
Demitrius Frausto (2021/WR) is the name to lead the way for the receivers after grabbing 36 receptions for 435 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Also, good news for the Eagles is returning
Jarren Lewis (2021) at quarterback after throwing for nearly 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns. What gets the Eagles into state? They'll have to beat out Centennial and Carlsbad for DCRUP or even challenge district frontrunner Las Cruces.
NO. 10 SANDIA MATADORS
The Sandia Matadors are going to be improved this season. Second year head coach Chad Adcox went 3-8 and reached the state playoffs in his first season. The Matadors have plenty of talented prospects to watch this season that includes Baylor commit
Sam Carrell (2021). The Matadors also feature
David Mapalo (2021), Isiah Bustillos (2021), Kevin Jackson (2021), Dalton Speis (2022) that create a solid core. The Matadors finished last season as the 12-seed but have the ability to be anywhere between 7-10 this season. The district will bring some struggles at the top with La Cueva and Clovis but they could find wins against the rest - Eldorado, Albuquerque, Manzano, Santa Fe.
NO. 9 VOLCANO VISTA HAWKS
Last season's eleven victories marked the program's highest win total in program history. The Hawks also earned the 1-seed in the state playoffs for the first time in program history. The Hawks could be a surprise this high after going 11-1 last season but gone is one of the most talented rosters in program history.
ATH Johnny Herrera (2021) will be one of the contributing returners this season and will have to fill big holes left behind. Newcomers
Simon Gay (2021) and Kaden Valdez (2022) will both be names that grow as the season goes on. Both had over 100-yards receiving last season. The Hawks schedule has yet to be released but just looking at the five district games, out of the seven game season, the Hawks could be flirting with a projected 2-3 record.
NO. 8 CENTENNIAL HAWKS
Centennial returns after winning 10-games last season and they will have plenty of holes to fill on both sides of the ball, but coach Ocampo squad will rank once again among the top half. Athlete
Karsten Rueckner (2021) is a rising prospect, and there's no shortage of hardworking talent on the Hawks roster built from day one. The Hawks will also turn to
Silas Carter (2021/RB) in the backfield and 5-10
Isaac Gutierrez (2021/WR) as a target on the outside. Ruckner also anchors the defense as one of the better defensive backs in the state; he always has eyes on the quarterback with a quick reaction time to get to the ball. The big question will be filling the holes that surround the Hawks this coming season.
NO. 7 ELDORADO EAGLES
Led by one of the state's top head coaches (Charlie Dotson), a top ranked quarterback in Nick Petty (2021), and one of the most underrated powerful back in Elijah Goree (2021), the Eagles are NMPreps pick as dark horse of 6A. What is the dark horse pick of the year? Well, it's that team that could finish as a district runner up and maybe even play in the semifinals and you forget about it the following year. However, this season with our .... lawmakers deciding that we can't play a full season, they could be a team that is hurt by the chances at making a dark horse playoff run. Especially if we have less teams getting into the playoffs. So, overcoming and beating La Cueva or Clovis will be a must and of course beating the rest of the teams in their newly aligned district (Albuquerque, Manzano, Sandia and Santa Fe). Broderick Dickman (WR-CB/2021) and Xander Gibson (WR/2021) are a pair of other seniors to watch on this squad; Dickman a 6-foot-3 receiver could be a late riser. Final note: I don't think we do but if we get 6-games (in this case, all district games) Eldorado would be projected at 4-2 overall and a bubble team of getting into the playoffs - if we have 8-teams make it.
NO. 6 CIBOLA COUGARS
We've jumped on the wagon here as the Cougars have plenty of expected hype heading into the season. We continue to make the statement but head coach Roderick Williams continues to do big things at Cibola since taking over. The program, once had zero energy and sat near the bottom, some could say underachieved with the talent that went through the doors. Now even when they are supposed to be rebuilding (last season) they win 5 games and reach the playoffs. The name we should all know and one that we will follow closely the next three years is sophomore sensation quarterback
Aden Chavez (2023). Chavez had a stellar season passing for nearly 1,500-yards and 13-touchdowns guiding the Cougars to the 2019 state playoffs. It was not only Chavez though as the 2019 Cougars had plenty of newcomers like
Slayd Campos (2021/RB), Elijah Spalding (2021/WR), and Maverick Garcio (2022/LB). Also, mentioned in the NMPreps250 is Highland transfer
Nathan Lopez (2022/K-RB) who received a handful of All-Metro awards in 2019 as a first team member. The Cougars have talent, they'll again have to battle in a tough district, the pandemic, and have plenty against them but I'm sure (if) when we play they'll be in the mix.
NO. 5 LA CUEVA BEARS
Little separates the top five teams in 6A football this coming season, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Bears on the final day of the season. Coach Brandon Back's squad must replace and refuel but the difference with the Bears program now is they are built to consistently to do well year in and year out. A lot will depend on new quarterback
Ryan Cook (2021) taking over under center for Austin Smith who passed for 3,174 yards in 2019. The backfield is gone and name-tags are out with the transfer of Tyler Jenson to Cleveland and graduating the other backs on the roster. The Bears don't run the ball a lot but when they do they find success - thinking back to the title game in 2018. The name to watch is
Cole McClain (ATH/2021) a Top-250 player in the state and Top-75 senior in New Mexico. He brings the most experience running the ball with 133-yards (5.1 per carry) with a touchdown. The player that will have most defensive teams trying to cover is 6-foot-2, wide receiver
Brad Thomas (2021) which totaled for 1,235-yards and 13 receiving touchdowns last season. Thomas, a Top-35, player in New Mexico had a breakout season but will need some counterparts to take some of the looks off him as the Bears graduated 1,689 yards that includes Connor O'Toole (
signed with the University of Utah; Had 21 D-1 offers). The final word: The Bears will battle in district with Clovis and much depends on the schedule but I could see the Bears going 5-1/6-1 as the first over/under type of number. That all depends on the number of games and who is going to be on the schedule.
NO. 4 RIO RANCHO RAMS
The Rams have holes to fill, a new head coach and looking to maintain being a power in 6A football. The Rams went 8-5 last season and played for the 6A state championship, falling to rival Cleveland. They also lost Isaiah Chavez at quarterback who passed for 4,000 yards and rushed for another 2,000 as a two-year starter who is fresh off a stellar start to his collegiate career at UNM guiding the Lobos to its only two wins of 2020. Also, longtime head coach David Howes who built the Rams into a power is now an assistant coach with the University of New Mexico. So, what's next? They'll turn to 2022 running back
Zach Vigil who hit the scene in 2019 rushing for nearly 1,300-yards and 18-touchdowns as a sophomore. The defense will feature
Jasper Pennington (2021), Lucas Lucero, Josh Howes (2021), and
Tommy Lujan (2021). The defense will be the strength with a handful of retuning prospects. Also, add in Top-35 prospects
Cayden Romero (OL/DL-2022) and
Darrius Gregory (OL/DL-2021) and you could easily have a heavy favorite to win it all. The cherry on top? If you have to replace one of the top head coaches in the state, might as well add a National head coach of the year in Gerry Pannoni from Virginia.
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