NMPreps.com's 2020 3A Preseason Rankings
No. 1
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No. 9
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No. 11
No. 12 Tucumcari Rattlers
The Rattler's finished head coach Ferguson's eight season with a 1-9 record, the lone win came against Albuquerque Academy. The Rattlers needed to avoid injury last season with not much depth and youth throughout the roster. Well, that could be a positive moving forward as they will look to a top athlete in Jesus Ramos (QB/2022) returning under center. The Rattlers return some players from last season and could be a dark horse to finish anywhere from 2-4 in the four team district. Yes, I know they went 0-3 last season and outscored 133-0 in district play but something about building depth and having then sophomores, experienced, returning as juniors that could create a spark.
No. 13 Newcomb Skyhawks
After a very successful four-year run winning 33-games and two playoff wins that also included a 10-2 season (2018). Well, things could look very different as they have a new head coach and replace a handful of core players from their recent success including Deontay and Deondre Begay, they led the way in passing yards, rushing yards, and receiving yards. The Skyhawks will likely be in a rebuild altogether and could end up sitting closer to the cellar than 13th in the state. Kiyanii Natonabah (2023) earned some reps last season along with other 2022 class members in what could be a year to develop them. Yes, they make the move up to 3A football but they have played much of the competition ranked at this point. The good news for the Skyhawks? The defense returns a healthy core of players led by Marcus Jake (2022), Colby Benally (2021), and Brandon Willson (2021) that could anchor enough to keep the winning going for the Skyhawks. Final thought: The Skyhawks will look different this season and could end up going 3-0 district or 1-2 and I wouldn't be surprised.
No. 14 Santa Fe Indian Braves
The section the SFIS Braves would enter the season had we started in the Fall of 2020. The Braves coming off a 4-5 overall (0-4 district) season held their own outside of district play with a 4-1 record, the lone loss to Pojoaque Valley (4A). Devry Vigil (2021) would have returned for his senior season after tossing for over 1,000-yards as a junior in 2019. Julian Martinez (RB/2021) would have returned as a great RB option in the backfield for the Braves as well. Yes, competing in district with other 3A powers hurts the Braves overall state bids but say they linger in District 1 or 5 and they could have a few DC's. The Braves are likely to sit out in 2021 (Spring Football) due to covid but this would have been a spot to slot the Braves for the coming season.
No. 15 Tohatchi Cougars
So far we have been on a district one and district five quick ranking preview. We stay the course as the Tohatchi Cougars hit the rankings from district 1 and the projected runner up team from the district. The Cougars are coming off a 4-6 season and looking to take a leap forward this season. With the new district alignment the Cougars will have to overcome a Newcomb program that is coming off a couple really solid years but this could be a year to do it. The Cougars welcome back a handful of key players this season with the likes of DeAngelo Hunch (QB/WR-2022), Ezra Benally (RB/CB-2021), and Woodrow Long III (WR/LB-2021) creating a core that could make it a special season.
No. 16 Crownpoint Eagles
The Crownpoint Eagles went 4-6 last season and 2-2 during district play but could be on the verge of a rebuild. They could also be considered too low at 16 and should be higher near the 19 spot. The bad news: They need to replace quarterback Jesse Andis and lead receiver Corey Bell a duo that connected well last season. Most of the offensive line is gone for the new QB which could bring issues - OT Navarro Burnside (2022) will bring the experience. A returning skilled player will also be Verron Chiquito (2021/RB) who seen some action last season. The Eagles appear to be searching for an identity this coming season and could be in a cycle that has them in the bottom again. The numbers appear to be up and a young core could make them challenge for a DC again in a year if we are looking at a positive. Also, keep an eye out for Bradley Toledo (2021) who had snaps at quarterback last season.
No. 17 Zuni Thunderbirds
The Thunderbirds enter the season as a mystery but likely in a position that they will take a step back this season. The Thunderbirds are far removed from having to cancel the end of their season with lack of healthy players. They have rebuilt and become very competitive winning 5-games last season, 7-games in 2018, and 8-games in 2017. However, the trend is looking like we could be in another rebuild up the roster and depth again. They lost next level signee De'andre Sanders who is playing at Clarke University. The good news is that they return several on defense. They return Morgan Hannaweeke (2022), defensive linemen Koi Zunie (2021) and Shane Sanchez (2022) along with Arian Laate (2022) and Archie Hattie (2022) on the outside; which makes up a group of experienced juniors. On offense 6-foot-4 quarterback Kay Shekya (2022) and running back Joel Toshowana (2022) return and could be a spark.
No. 18 Navajo Prep Eagles
The Eagles finished 5-5 overall (2-1 in district) in head coach Roderick Denetso second season at the helm, but this program is on the cusp of something better with a very talented and young roster returning. The Eagles move into a new district this season with the new classification realignment for the 2020/2021 seasons'. They will now compete against Zuni, Tohatchi, and Newcomb - three teams that they've had some experience with. The Eagles beat Tohatchi, 36-20 and fell to what was one of Newcomb's best teams (rebuild likely to come). The Eagles are at the 18th spot right now but could move ahead of the rest of district 1 and 5 teams by the end of the season. Two names to know for this team come in the one-two punch of Kyler Clitso (2022/RB) and Dontrell Denetso (2022/QB) who held their own as sophomores in 2019. Ceiling could be 13/14 with a floor of 18/19; we start at the floor and only go up from here.
No. 19 Cuba Rams
The theme continues here with our 3A rankings as the Cuba Rams also representing District 5-3A. The Rams went 3-7 last season and 1-2 in district play; two wins against teams from 2A football. More bad news for the Cuba Rams will be replacing athletes Christopher Cavazos and Jeremy Segura. The bright spot returning will be Markus Ignacio (2022) who showed some signs of being the next leader for the Rams. 2022 ATH Ryan Velarde will be another player to watch on the Rams roster this season. The Rams graduated a lot of what they did last season and will likely battle with Thoreau and Wingate to stay out of the cellar.
No. 20 Thoreau Hawks
Coming from District 1-3A is the Thoreau Hawks which went 1-9 overall last season and 1-3 in district play. The lone win over the 21st ranked Wingate Bears. The Hawks relied on a senior class last season and will need to replace their quarterback, top receivers and backfield players. Lance Plummer (2021) will return for the Hawks and will need to take on a bigger role for the Hawks and he'll also guide the Hawks on defense. A win over Wingate could be the goal here for a rebuild.
No. 21 Wingate Bears
The Wingate Bears went winless in 2019 going 0-10 overall (0-4 in district) and found themselves outscored 494-68. Many of questions circling the Bears football program and looking for a way to avoid another winless campaign in 2020. They graduate 17 players from last season and a unique school like Wingate, you can have new players coming and going, especially during a year with a pandemic. Hard to pinpoint which direction they will go this season but the likelihood that they are in the cellar is high. Will they go with the only QB on the depth chart from last season in LeShane Wyaco (2023)? They've gone 1-19 the last two seasons and pending the non-district games, this could be a long Spring.
| District 1 | District 2 | District 3 | District 4 | District 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navajo Prep | Raton | Cobre | Dexter | Cuba |
| Newcomb | Robertson | Hatch Valley | Hope Christian | Crownpoint |
| Tohatchi | Santa Fe Indian | Hot Springs | NMMI | Thoreau |
| Zuni | St. Michael's | Socorro | Tucucmari | Wingate |
| West Las Vegas |
No. 1
No. 2
No. 3
No. 4
No. 5
No. 6
No. 7
No. 8
No. 9
No. 10
No. 11
No. 12 Tucumcari Rattlers
The Rattler's finished head coach Ferguson's eight season with a 1-9 record, the lone win came against Albuquerque Academy. The Rattlers needed to avoid injury last season with not much depth and youth throughout the roster. Well, that could be a positive moving forward as they will look to a top athlete in Jesus Ramos (QB/2022) returning under center. The Rattlers return some players from last season and could be a dark horse to finish anywhere from 2-4 in the four team district. Yes, I know they went 0-3 last season and outscored 133-0 in district play but something about building depth and having then sophomores, experienced, returning as juniors that could create a spark.
No. 13 Newcomb Skyhawks
After a very successful four-year run winning 33-games and two playoff wins that also included a 10-2 season (2018). Well, things could look very different as they have a new head coach and replace a handful of core players from their recent success including Deontay and Deondre Begay, they led the way in passing yards, rushing yards, and receiving yards. The Skyhawks will likely be in a rebuild altogether and could end up sitting closer to the cellar than 13th in the state. Kiyanii Natonabah (2023) earned some reps last season along with other 2022 class members in what could be a year to develop them. Yes, they make the move up to 3A football but they have played much of the competition ranked at this point. The good news for the Skyhawks? The defense returns a healthy core of players led by Marcus Jake (2022), Colby Benally (2021), and Brandon Willson (2021) that could anchor enough to keep the winning going for the Skyhawks. Final thought: The Skyhawks will look different this season and could end up going 3-0 district or 1-2 and I wouldn't be surprised.
No. 14 Santa Fe Indian Braves
The section the SFIS Braves would enter the season had we started in the Fall of 2020. The Braves coming off a 4-5 overall (0-4 district) season held their own outside of district play with a 4-1 record, the lone loss to Pojoaque Valley (4A). Devry Vigil (2021) would have returned for his senior season after tossing for over 1,000-yards as a junior in 2019. Julian Martinez (RB/2021) would have returned as a great RB option in the backfield for the Braves as well. Yes, competing in district with other 3A powers hurts the Braves overall state bids but say they linger in District 1 or 5 and they could have a few DC's. The Braves are likely to sit out in 2021 (Spring Football) due to covid but this would have been a spot to slot the Braves for the coming season.
No. 15 Tohatchi Cougars
So far we have been on a district one and district five quick ranking preview. We stay the course as the Tohatchi Cougars hit the rankings from district 1 and the projected runner up team from the district. The Cougars are coming off a 4-6 season and looking to take a leap forward this season. With the new district alignment the Cougars will have to overcome a Newcomb program that is coming off a couple really solid years but this could be a year to do it. The Cougars welcome back a handful of key players this season with the likes of DeAngelo Hunch (QB/WR-2022), Ezra Benally (RB/CB-2021), and Woodrow Long III (WR/LB-2021) creating a core that could make it a special season.
No. 16 Crownpoint Eagles
The Crownpoint Eagles went 4-6 last season and 2-2 during district play but could be on the verge of a rebuild. They could also be considered too low at 16 and should be higher near the 19 spot. The bad news: They need to replace quarterback Jesse Andis and lead receiver Corey Bell a duo that connected well last season. Most of the offensive line is gone for the new QB which could bring issues - OT Navarro Burnside (2022) will bring the experience. A returning skilled player will also be Verron Chiquito (2021/RB) who seen some action last season. The Eagles appear to be searching for an identity this coming season and could be in a cycle that has them in the bottom again. The numbers appear to be up and a young core could make them challenge for a DC again in a year if we are looking at a positive. Also, keep an eye out for Bradley Toledo (2021) who had snaps at quarterback last season.
No. 17 Zuni Thunderbirds
The Thunderbirds enter the season as a mystery but likely in a position that they will take a step back this season. The Thunderbirds are far removed from having to cancel the end of their season with lack of healthy players. They have rebuilt and become very competitive winning 5-games last season, 7-games in 2018, and 8-games in 2017. However, the trend is looking like we could be in another rebuild up the roster and depth again. They lost next level signee De'andre Sanders who is playing at Clarke University. The good news is that they return several on defense. They return Morgan Hannaweeke (2022), defensive linemen Koi Zunie (2021) and Shane Sanchez (2022) along with Arian Laate (2022) and Archie Hattie (2022) on the outside; which makes up a group of experienced juniors. On offense 6-foot-4 quarterback Kay Shekya (2022) and running back Joel Toshowana (2022) return and could be a spark.
No. 18 Navajo Prep Eagles
The Eagles finished 5-5 overall (2-1 in district) in head coach Roderick Denetso second season at the helm, but this program is on the cusp of something better with a very talented and young roster returning. The Eagles move into a new district this season with the new classification realignment for the 2020/2021 seasons'. They will now compete against Zuni, Tohatchi, and Newcomb - three teams that they've had some experience with. The Eagles beat Tohatchi, 36-20 and fell to what was one of Newcomb's best teams (rebuild likely to come). The Eagles are at the 18th spot right now but could move ahead of the rest of district 1 and 5 teams by the end of the season. Two names to know for this team come in the one-two punch of Kyler Clitso (2022/RB) and Dontrell Denetso (2022/QB) who held their own as sophomores in 2019. Ceiling could be 13/14 with a floor of 18/19; we start at the floor and only go up from here.
No. 19 Cuba Rams
The theme continues here with our 3A rankings as the Cuba Rams also representing District 5-3A. The Rams went 3-7 last season and 1-2 in district play; two wins against teams from 2A football. More bad news for the Cuba Rams will be replacing athletes Christopher Cavazos and Jeremy Segura. The bright spot returning will be Markus Ignacio (2022) who showed some signs of being the next leader for the Rams. 2022 ATH Ryan Velarde will be another player to watch on the Rams roster this season. The Rams graduated a lot of what they did last season and will likely battle with Thoreau and Wingate to stay out of the cellar.
No. 20 Thoreau Hawks
Coming from District 1-3A is the Thoreau Hawks which went 1-9 overall last season and 1-3 in district play. The lone win over the 21st ranked Wingate Bears. The Hawks relied on a senior class last season and will need to replace their quarterback, top receivers and backfield players. Lance Plummer (2021) will return for the Hawks and will need to take on a bigger role for the Hawks and he'll also guide the Hawks on defense. A win over Wingate could be the goal here for a rebuild.
No. 21 Wingate Bears
The Wingate Bears went winless in 2019 going 0-10 overall (0-4 in district) and found themselves outscored 494-68. Many of questions circling the Bears football program and looking for a way to avoid another winless campaign in 2020. They graduate 17 players from last season and a unique school like Wingate, you can have new players coming and going, especially during a year with a pandemic. Hard to pinpoint which direction they will go this season but the likelihood that they are in the cellar is high. Will they go with the only QB on the depth chart from last season in LeShane Wyaco (2023)? They've gone 1-19 the last two seasons and pending the non-district games, this could be a long Spring.
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