https://nmpreps.rivals.com/news/week-four-staff-picks

GRINE'S PICKS: RECORD 22-12

Cleveland vs Centennial

Cleveland

Well, I had to pick one team. For their sake hopefully they don't hate me for picking them.

Onate vs Rio Rancho

Rio Rancho

Work, Work, work. Rio Rancho is just too good this year they continue to do work. (yup Rihanna)

Volcano Vista vs Mayfield

Mayfield

I can't take the risk again, the Trojans have the horses moving.

Carlsbad vs Cibola

Carlsbad

These Cavemen are getting stronger, easier to get a weaker Cougar team in 2016.

Roswell vs Los Lunas

Roswell

Either way points at 500, Roswell still the unknown SE threat.

Clovis vs Goddard

Clovis

Shake it off, Shake it off.. The Wildcats roll (Yes, Taylor Swift..It'll be stuck in your head now)

St. Pius X vs Alamogordo

Alamogordo

Another split. I go Alamogordo as Pius meets their first challenge.

Ruidoso vs Robertson

Robertson

The Cardinals find a way to win. They do it again here.

Escalante vs Pojoaque

Pojoaque

The Elks are stomping to a quiet tone this season.

Farmington vs Durango

Farmington

Farmington gets the Dub, Durango won't be light though.

Hobbs vs Lovington

Hobbs

Just thinking Hobbs, nothing special.

Socorro vs Laguna

Socorro.

Surprisingly a solid match up of undefeated teams. The old quarter came into use here.

st. Mikes vs Portales

Portales

Heads or Tails. It was tails this time.

Longtime broadcaster Mike Roberts passes away. Sad day.

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Anyone know how the New District 3 6A Schedules will be handled? With 7 teams in it will they stick to playing each team 3 games in district for a total of 18 district games? Doesn't leave much room for pre district if you're capped at 25 games?

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I'm admiring this. Definitely going to win over plenty of coaches and have many head to Las Cruces team camp. Think it's cool.

Here is a look at the passing leaders through week 3. Text updates to (505) 414-4313 or post here.

Stats

Payton Ball - Las Cruces - 784-yards, 6 touchdowns (Junior)

Cody Smith - Aztec - 772-yards, 5 touchdowns

Johnny Plowman - Lordsburg - 747-yards, 10 touchdowns

Chris Campbell - La Cueva - 745-yards, 8 TDs.

Evan Cesareo - Lovington - 607-yards, 6 touchdowns (Freshman). 231 and 2 TDS rushing.

Dante Lopez - Centennial - 604-yards, 8 touchdowns

Kyle Hooper - Alamogordo - 586-yards, 8-TDs, 32 for 59, 3 Int.

Daniel Rael - Pojoaque - 584-yards, 7 touchdowns

Gannon Chavez - Cibola - 521-yards, 3-TDs.

Dillon Gassoway - Volcano Vista - 507-yards, 3 touchdowns

Nicholas Gaerlan - Los Lunas - 460-yards, 9 touchdowns (Sophomore)

Nic Little - Rio Rancho - 382-yards (34 of 62). 5-TDS, 1 Int. 169-yards rushing, 2 TDs.

Leaders

Las Cruces' Payton Ball leads the state in passing with 784-yards and 6 touchdowns. Also has 168-yards rushing and 5 rushing touchdowns.

Most Likely To Upset in Week 4

Weekly Upset Chances
Grants (1-2) vs No. 43 Hope Christian (2-1): The Pirates beat the odds last week, defeating the then ranked Los Alamos Hilltoppers. Hope Christian got shutout last week with a bit of a placement game. Grants has the opportunity to again pull the upset if they control the tempo and not let Hope Christian get big plays, they do have some athletes to make the plays.

No. 29 West Mesa (1-2) vs No. 14 La Cueva (1-2): West Mesa hasn't answered the call of being a Top-12 (State Tournament) tier team with another tough loss last week to middle tier Volcano Vista. La Cueva has played an extremely tough schedule to this point. West Mesa will need to get them after being banged up playing a tough slate if they hope to pull an upset.

No. 6 Onate (2-1) vs No. 1 Rio Rancho (3-0): The statement game for both teams. Onate has one loss on the schedule, to No. 2 Cleveland in a tough battle. Onate will need to slow down the Rio Rancho offensive and they have the weapons to make it happen. Rio Rancho has the tools on both sides of the ball though and Onate will need to find offensive production to pull the upset, they had it last week in running back Sal Yanez.

No. 44 Ruidoso (1-2) vs No. No. 27 Robertson (3-0): Ruidoso earned the much needed first win last week and gained some confidence in their offense. Robertson showed some vulnerability last week in a close win over a winless Santa Rosa team. Ruidoso will need to keep the score low, Robertson hasn't been explosive, but Ruidoso hasn't held teams from scoring either. Game management will be huge as Robertson has been able to manage games well for the most part.

No. 7 Centennial (3-0) vs No. No. 2 Cleveland (3-0): The Centennial Hawks are making a great impression, their first in 6A. Cleveland is finding ways to win in a transition year, after winning the state championship in 2015 and losing key prospects. Centennial has been big in the second half, even if they come back. Cleveland has been able to comeback and win big games as well. Battle of who wins the fourth quarter.

Top Dual Threat Quarterbacks For The 2016 Season?

Who are they or who will they be?

Aggies haven't been able to compete w/Lobos for many years. What is the difference?

Aggies seem to fall short on Football Field & Basketball court, what's the difference?

Why can't Aggies compete at a more competitive level? Lobos & Miners, heck almost every team the Aggies play, have owned them.

Send them in (505) 414-4313 or post here.

Don't wait to send an email next Wednesday upset. (haha)

Top Players
Jordan Byrd - Manzano - 50-yard touchdown run vs Cibola.
O'Maury Samuels - Los Lunas - 50-yard touchdown run and 39-yard touchdown run for 3-touchdowns on the night.
Angelo Trujillo - Cleveland - 46-yard touchdown run.
Shawn Nieto - Cleveland - 5 rushing touchdowns on the night.
Josh Foley - Rio Rancho - 162-yards rushing, 3 touchdowns.
Kyle Hooper - Alamogordo - 4 passing touchdowns, 220 passing yards.
Alex Ramirez - Alamogordo - 65-yard punt return, 75-yards receiving.
Derrick Carrasco - Rio Rancho - 123-yards receiving.
Taylor Null - Artesia - Threw for 4-touchdowns.
Sal Yanez - Onate - 160-yards rushing, 4 touchdowns on the night.
Dylan DiLorenzo - St. Pius X - 4-touchdowns in the win.

Top 25 Special Teams Players

Alex Ramirez, Alamogordo - Punt Returner - Has a 65-yard return (Week Three).
Saul Trujillo, Hatch Valley - Kicker - Hit a 28-yard FG.
Isiah Martinez, Laguna-Acoma - Had a return kick off for a TD (Week Two).
Brett Money, Alamogordo - Kicker - Hit 8 PATS in Week Three. Was 4 for 4 PATS week two. 15 for 17 PATs on the season.
Ivan Molina, Las Cruces - Return kick 97-yards week one.

Please add or email me and I will update the list.

Add your thoughts below.

Surprises:

1. Belen boys! Won more games this year already than the last two years. What a turn around. Wonder how many W's they will have at end of season.
2. Las Cruces and Mayfield boys teams struggling. New coach at LCHS, Mayfield coach has been there 2-3 years...didnt see either of them falling this far so early. Looks like Gadsden and Hobbs are the way early favorites in that district....can Centennial get up there?

I was wrong about.....

1. Diego Flores and Los Lunas....what happened? Team wins are way down and his goal total is low? There went my pick for POTY. Still think he's a baller though.

I want to learn more about:

1. Captial. The toughest team they have faced was Roswell and they came out with a win. Is their pre-district schedule gonna prepare them for AA and Los Alamos?

Post Your Football Rankings Going Into Week 4

What you got?

Previews
Top-25 Games To Watch
10 Things Small School (Coming Soon)
Games To Watch Outside the Top-25 (Coming Soon)

Features
Week Three Players of the Week
Most Likely To Upset in Week Four
Monday Rapid Fire: What Have You Done So Far?
State Tournament Predictions (Coming Soon)
Friday Rapid Fire: Bold Picks, Trends and More (Coming Soon)

Schedule
Week Four Schedule

Players
Top Special Teams Players

Rankings
Fab 50 Rankings
Classification Rankings

Week Three Players of the Week
Joshua J Grine of NMPreps.com

Each week on NMPreps.com we announce the player of the week for most recent week of games. The staff at NMPreps.com along with the NMP Nation will determine the players of the week.


OVERALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK - TORRY LOCKLIN - MAYFIELD HS

The 6-foot-3, junior quarterback for the No. 3 Mayfield Trojans (2-1) earns the Week Three Player of the Week Award with an impressive performance against a Top-10 team in Eldorado. Locklin, came alive in the second half of the Saturday afternoon game guiding the Trojans to a win. Locklin, finished the day with 237-yards and 4 touchdowns.

WEEK FOUR ALL-TATE BRANCH TEAM

Top 15 From Week Three
QB: Torry Locklin, Mayfield
QB: Taylor Null, Artesia
QB: Cooper Carson, Hatch Valley
RB: Josh Foley, Rio Rancho
RB: Cisco Mayville, Ruidoso
RB: Shawn Nieto, Cleveland
RB: Sal Yanez, Onate
RB: Dee Smith, Alamogordo
WR: Dylan DiLorenzo, St. Pius X
WR/QB: Tyrese Dawson, Portales
K: Brett Money, Alamogordo
Defense: Joren Dickey, Volcano Vista
Defense: Lucas McNatt, Capital
Defense: Henry Roybal, Pojoaque Valley
Defense: Trevor Brohard, Los Lunas

Past Weeks
Week Two Award Winner: Josh Foley, Rio Rancho

Question: Who is the best Running Back in New Mexico?

Which Players Have Impressed You So Far?

After three weeks of play?

Capital listed at #28 in the national Maxpreps rankings.

http://www.maxpreps.com/m/team/rank...schoolid=5cec4164-abf0-4476-8a82-59c8a163c84e

What are the biggest questions this week?

Is Clovis still top 5? Or Eldorado the biggest favorite in 2-6A?

Hobbs and Cibola out?

You starting to believe an all Rio Rancho final?

Los Lunas and Artesia in 5A final?

Moriarty proven number one in 4A?

Kevin Harlan's call last night of the idiot running on the field is awesome!! Have a listen...

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/09/kevin-harlan-radio-fan-running-field-49ers-rams-monday-night

So Friday Night the Andrews Mustangs and Levelland Lobos played. Both teams have have great offensive teams. Levelland quarterback Nick Gerber completed 31 of 44 for 549 yards 9 touchdowns in the air. He also had 109 yards rushing. Andrew's quarterback Triston Williams finished the night going 27 of 45 for 401 yards and 6 touchdowns passing. Last year Williams had 9 touchdown passes in this matchup. Former Artesia Bulldog, Tom Harvey is Secondary Coach at Andrews and a heck of a good Coach.

FINAL SCORE ANDREWS 77 LEVELLAND 76

Tried to put up a pic but cant figure it out...

Rumor is the NMAA will look into mixing 6A/5A, 4A/3A etc. into conferences instead of districts

Here is the answer to the question always asked...Can NM compete with neighboring states. Now these rosters were put together by graduating classes. Had to take a certain amount of Fresh/Soph/Juniors/Seniors.

2016 - New Mexico 0-4 Only one game was out of hand - Sunday lost to OK 13-5.
2015 - NM went 3-1 and was one run away from the Championship
So yes it cycles for NM

This year every pitcher we faced was either a SEC, Big 12, or Wichita State (2) commit except for one kid who was undecided but was a 2019 going 86-88.

Most impressive thing I saw besides the number of colleges and pro scouts at the event...2020 RHP from Owasso, OK sitting 92-94 hitting the corners with a real breaking ball. It was unreal. Also there was a 5'9/180 7th grader playing for Team LA. His brother an LSU commit will probably be a top 40 overall pick this June.

Team TX beat Team AR for the championship.

How many schools are not fielding a 9th grade, JV and Varsity team? Understanding that smaller schools may not. but we have been talking about sheer numbers, how many do not.