It's Finally Friday: Week 8 New Mexico High School Football Preview
By: Kyle Henderson of NMPreps.com
No. 1 Cleveland vs. Santa Fe
Cleveland 6-0
Santa Fe 0-7
Last Week: Cleveland Open
Last Week: Santa Fe lost to Rio Rancho 51-0
Cleveland Key Players: Cleveland Quarterback Gabe Ortega who has 1,009-yards passing with 12 touchdowns, Nikos Papadopoulos who has 394-yards rushing, and Marcus Williams who has caught for 524-yards and 7 touchdowns.
Santa Fe Key Players: Andres Blea Quarterback, Alex Abeyeta at receiver
No. 2 Eldorado vs. Sandia
Eldorado 6-1, 1-0
Sandia 4-3, 0-1
Last Week: Eldorado 42, La Cueva 3
Last Week: Sandia los to Manzano 35-25
Eldorado Key Players: Jayce Jackson who has thrown for 1,232-yards, Noah Sweitzer who has ran for 518-yards, and David Inman who has caught for 395-yards.
Sandia Key Players: Jimmy Gallegos who has rushed for 1,090-yards on the year, Jacob Archibeque who threw for 2 touchdowns last week, Paul Rosales who caught for two touchdowns last week
No. 3 Centennial @ Chaparral
Centennial 6-0, 1-0
Chaparral 5-1, 1-0
Last Week: Centennial beat Los Lunas 56-19
Last Week: Chaparral beat Valencia 38-20
Centennial Key Players: Quarterback Dante Lopez who threw 5 TD’s last week, JR Pena who caught for 116-yards and 3 TD’s last week, Jake Boykin who had 9 tackles against Los Lunas
Chaparral Key Players: Bryan Lopez who has thrown for 540-yards, Andres Fisher who has ran for 352-yards, Anthony Mendoza who 4 int’s
No. 4 Las Cruces beat Gadsden 56-6
Las Cruces now 6-2, 2-0
Gadsden now 1-6, 0-1
Game ended in the 3rd Quarter (Mercy Rule)
Las Cruces rushed for 232-yards
Payton Ball ran for 102-yards, 3 TD’s
Kameron Miller threw for 203-yards, 2 TD’s
Las Cruces open next week
Gadsden takes on Onate on Oct. 23rd
No. 5 Artesia - Open
6-1, 0-0
Last Week: Beat Alamogordo 34-30
Open District against Roswell on Oct. 23rd
No. 6 Alamogordo - Open
6-1, 0-0
Last Week: Lost to Artesia 34-30
Open District against Carlsbad on Oct. 23rd
No. 7 Volcano Vista @ Rio Rancho
Volcano Vista 5-2, 1-0
Rio Rancho 5-2, 1-0
Last Week: Volcano Vista beat Cibola 23-8
Last Week: Rio Rancho beat Santa Fe 51-0
Volcano Vista Key Players: Quarterback Josh Williams who has thrown for 1,177-yards and scored 20 TD’s, Chris Streetz who has rushed for 609-yards, David Cormier who has caught for 431-yards, Brian Parks who has 49 tackles, Nick Mourning who has 33 tackles
Rio Rancho Key Players: Quarterback Steve Bailey who has thrown for 1,389-yards, Josh Foley who has rushed for 786-yards and 18 touchdowns, Brian Drake who has caught 40-balls for 480-yards.
No. 8 Rio Rancho vs. Volcano Vista
Volcano Vista 5-2, 1-0
Rio Rancho 5-2, 1-0
Last Week: Volcano Vista beat Cibola 23-8
Last Week: Rio Rancho beat Santa Fe 51-0
Volcano Vista Key Players: Quarterback Josh Williams who has thrown for 1,177-yards and scored 20 TD’s, Chris Streetz who has rushed for 609-yards, David Cormier who has caught for 431-yards, Brian Parks who has 49 tackles, Nick Mourning who has 33 tackles
Rio Rancho Key Players: Quarterback Steve Bailey who has thrown for 1,389-yards, Josh Foley who has rushed for 786-yards and 18 touchdowns, Brian Drake who has caught 40-balls for 480-yards.
No. 9 Clovis - Open
4-3, 0-0
Last Week: Beat Grants 49-0
Open District @ Hobbs on Oct. 23rd
No. 10 Cibola - Open
5-2, 0-1
Last Week: Lost to Volcano Vista 23-8
Take on Rio Rancho Oct. 22nd
No. 11 Manzano vs. Highland
Manzano 4-3, 1-0
Highland 2-4, 0-0
Last Week: Manzano beat Sandia 35-25
Last Week: Highland was open
Key Manzano Players: QB Orlando Perez who has 532-yards passing and 418-yards rushing with 10 touchdowns. Alejandro Vallejos who has 55 tackles, Bryce Watts who has 55 tackles, Cameron Herrera who has 48 tackles.
Key Highland Players: Dominic Johnson who has over 1,000-yards passing this year
No. 12 Mayfield - Open
4-3, 1-0
Last Week: Beat Onate 31-24
Take on Deming on Oct. 23rd
Key Players: Joeray Valencia has thrown for 1,548-yards, Isaac Vance has rushed for 1,051-yards
No. 13 Hobbs - Open
4-3, 0-0
Last Week: Beat Hobbs 53-7
Take on Clovis on Oct. 23rd
Key Players: QB Isaac Amaya who has thrown for 2,638-yards, 27 Td’s and 3 ints. Jeremy Padilla who has 685-yards rushing, Devin Beard who has 982-yards receiving and 11 touchdowns.
No. 14 Sandia vs. Eldorado
Eldorado 6-1, 1-0
Sandia 4-3, 0-1
Last Week: Eldorado 42, La Cueva 3
Last Week: Sandia los to Manzano 35-25
Eldorado Key Players: Jayce Jackson who has thrown for 1,232-yards, Noah Sweitzer who has ran for 518-yards, and David Inman who has caught for 395-yards.
Sandia Key Players: Jimmy Gallegos who has rushed for 1,090-yards on the year, Jacob Archibeque who threw for 2 touchdowns last week, Paul Rosales who caught for two touchdowns last week
No. 15 St. Pius X @ Lovington
St. Pius X 7-0, 0-0
Lovington 1-5, 0-0
Last Week: St. Pius X 56, Rio Grande 7
Last Week: Lovington lost to Hobbs 53-7
Key St. Pius X Players: QB Drew Ortiz who has thrown for over 1,500-yards and 15 touchdowns, Miles Hilton who has caught for 500-yards
Key Lovington Players: Dallas Sterns at quarterback who has 1,000 all purpose yards.
No. 16 Piedra Vista vs. Miyamura
Piedra Vista 5-2, 1-0
Miyamura 3-3, 0-0
Last Week: Piedra Vista 38, Farmington 20
Last Week: Miyamura was open
Key Piedra Vista Panthers: QB Elijah Gamboa, RB Matt Gonzales
Key Miyamura Players: RB AJ Starkovich who has rushed for 770-yards and 10 touchdowns
No. 17 Goddard - Open
4-3, 0-0
Last Week: Beat Carlsbad 28-26
Key Goddard Players: QB Cameron Stevenson, RB Lukas Gutierrez, Devon Qurioz ATH
Take on Lovington on Oct. 23rd
No. 18 Moriarty vs. Grants
Moriarty 5-2, 0-0
Grants 4-3, 0-0
Last Week: Moriarty beat Roswell 19-14
Last Week: Grants lost to Clovis 49-3
Key Moriarty Players: Allen Michel who has rushed for 1,100-yards
Key Grants Players: Brandon Hernandez QB, Brady Hatten DL
No. 19 Roswell - Open
4-3, 0-0
Las Week: Lost to Moriarty 19-14
Key Roswell Players: Dominic Anaya thrown for 492-yards, rushed of 267-yards, Alfonso Sanchez with 53 tackles, Jacob Miley with 38 tackles Rudy Castillo with 5.5 sacks
No. 20 Farmington vs. Aztec
Farmington 5-2, 0-1
Aztec 2-5, 1-0
Last Week: Farmington los to Piedra Vista 38-20
Last Week: Aztec beat Gallup 28-27
Key Farmington Players: QB Kody Becenti who has thrown for 1,630-yards and 9 touchdowns, Axel Fowler who has rushed for 563-yards, Diego Elebario who has caught for 490-yards
Key Aztec Players: QB Cody Smith who has thrown for 1,639-yards, Derek Baca who has rushed for 512-yards, Jake Taylor who has caught for 631-yards, Brady Moffett who has 81 tackles
No. 21 Onate vs. Deming
Onate 2-5, 0-1
Deming 3-4, 0-1
Last Week: Onate lost to Mayfield 31-24
Last Week: Deming lost to Las Cruces 47-7
Key Onate Players: Forest McKee with 29 solo tackles, Matt Young with 26 solo tackles, Luis Duarte with 5 sacks
Key Deming Players: QB Dante Urrea with 10 touchdowns
No. 22 Hatch Valley vs. Silver
Hatch Valley 7-0, 1-0
Silver 4-3, 1-0
Last Week: Hatch beat Socorro 56-6
Last Week: Silver beat Hot Springs 26-8
Key Hatch Players: Jared Garay who has thrown for 615-yards, Adrian Grajeda who has rushed for 772-yards, Austin Franzoy who has 41 tackles
Key Silver Players: Jeremiah Burke at QB, Chad Flower at LB
No. 23 Espanola vs. Del Norte
Espanola 6-0, 0-0
Del Norte 3-4 0-0
Last Week: Espanola was open
Last Week: Del Norte beat Bernalillo 42-3
Key Espanola Players: Tommy Trujillo RB, Marcos Flores ATH
Key Del Norte Players: Parker Hernden RB, Gabe Desoto OL
No. 24 Portales - Open
7-0, 1-0
Last Week: Beat Hope Christian 49-17
Key Players: Jamie Ramirez who has thrown for 722-yards and 12 touchdowns, Bronte Staugaard who has rushed for 1,279-yards and 17 touchdowns
No. 25 Chaparral vs. Centennial
Centennial 6-0, 1-0
Chaparral 5-1, 1-0
Last Week: Centennial beat Los Lunas 56-19
Last Week: Chaparral beat Valencia 38-20
Centennial Key Players: Quarterback Dante Lopez who threw 5 TD’s last week, JR Pena who caught for 116-yards and 3 TD’s last week, Jake Boykin who had 9 tackles against Los Lunas
Chaparral Key Players: Bryan Lopez who has thrown for 540-yards, Andres Fisher who has ran for 352-yards, Anthony Mendoza who 4 int’s
Additional Marquee Games
Melrose vs. Gateway Christian
Melrose 7-0, 0-0
Gateway Christian 6-0, 0-0
Last Week: Melrose beat Springer 50-0
Last Week: Gateway was open
Key Melrose players: Cade Barnard ATH, Wyatt Williams QB
Key Gateway Players: NA