District 2-4A Preview: Northern District
TEAMS: Espanola Valley, Moriarty, Pojoaque Valley, Taos
NMPreps will continue to release team rankings for each classification in New Mexico. We are less than two months away from the first game and we get you started. In 4A we will release by district and then with ranking all 18-teams in the classification.
Projected Order of Finish
Taos Tigers (3-1 overall)
The only team with a winning record coming from this district the Taos Tigers are looking to make another push at a late postseason push. The Tigers won the state championship four years ago and a return to the top is on their mind. The good news is welcoming back 6-foot-6 quarterback Daemon Ely (2023) who has seen action for two seasons', last Spring being called in as QB-1. The rest of the roster will be going through some overturn with the graduation to all four All-State players from the roster last season. Lenoard Archuleta (2023/TE) and Warren Gomez (2022/G).
Moriarty Pintos (1-4 overall)
The Pintos only captured a single win out of the Spring season but played a quality slate of games with the likes of Taos, Portales, and St. Pius X. The Pintos an early favorite to contend for the District Championship have a healthy return of running backs. Cayden Dunn (2022) rushed for 255-yards last season and 4-touchdowns. Matthew Romero (2023), 179-yards and 2 touchdowns, along with Erick Wolf (2023), 136-yards and a touchdown also return in the backfield for the Pintos. Having those three returning is huge for a program that runs the ball 90% of the time. Jason Garcia (2022) also welcomes back an experienced defense led by the linebacker.
Pojoaque Valley Elks (2-2 overall)
After an 0-2 start during the Spring season the Elks reeled off two wins over Valencia (36-22) and Espanola Valley (50-0). The Elks program has been in the cellar for a few years but are entering the Fall 2021 season with some excitement. Quarterback Adam Pacheco (2023) returns under center after throwing for 647-yards and 8-touchdowns as a sophomore. Anthony Meloy-Chavez (2022) returns at WR along with D'sean Martinez (2022), Jacob Sullivan (2022), and JC Fordham. Meloy-Chavez also had 5 carries and accounted for 52-yards (10.4 average) at running back. The four returning receivers each had over 100-yards receiving with Meloy-Chavez (194) and Martinez (197) leading the way.
Espanola Valley Sundevils (0-3 overall)
The Sundevils searched for a new head coach prior to the season and struggled to an 0-3 season. The Sundevils also struggled on both ends of the ball only scoring 6 points and gave up 160 on the year in three games. Plenty of the struggles was a numbers game last season with limited players, a new system, and experience. The good news will be the return of several underclassmen that gained varsity experience during the Spring season. The bad news is that they could still be outsized and outnumbered.
Related
District 3-4A (Southern District) Preview
District 4-4A (Central District) Preview
TEAMS: Espanola Valley, Moriarty, Pojoaque Valley, Taos
NMPreps will continue to release team rankings for each classification in New Mexico. We are less than two months away from the first game and we get you started. In 4A we will release by district and then with ranking all 18-teams in the classification.
Projected Order of Finish
Taos Tigers (3-1 overall)
The only team with a winning record coming from this district the Taos Tigers are looking to make another push at a late postseason push. The Tigers won the state championship four years ago and a return to the top is on their mind. The good news is welcoming back 6-foot-6 quarterback Daemon Ely (2023) who has seen action for two seasons', last Spring being called in as QB-1. The rest of the roster will be going through some overturn with the graduation to all four All-State players from the roster last season. Lenoard Archuleta (2023/TE) and Warren Gomez (2022/G).
Moriarty Pintos (1-4 overall)
The Pintos only captured a single win out of the Spring season but played a quality slate of games with the likes of Taos, Portales, and St. Pius X. The Pintos an early favorite to contend for the District Championship have a healthy return of running backs. Cayden Dunn (2022) rushed for 255-yards last season and 4-touchdowns. Matthew Romero (2023), 179-yards and 2 touchdowns, along with Erick Wolf (2023), 136-yards and a touchdown also return in the backfield for the Pintos. Having those three returning is huge for a program that runs the ball 90% of the time. Jason Garcia (2022) also welcomes back an experienced defense led by the linebacker.
Pojoaque Valley Elks (2-2 overall)
After an 0-2 start during the Spring season the Elks reeled off two wins over Valencia (36-22) and Espanola Valley (50-0). The Elks program has been in the cellar for a few years but are entering the Fall 2021 season with some excitement. Quarterback Adam Pacheco (2023) returns under center after throwing for 647-yards and 8-touchdowns as a sophomore. Anthony Meloy-Chavez (2022) returns at WR along with D'sean Martinez (2022), Jacob Sullivan (2022), and JC Fordham. Meloy-Chavez also had 5 carries and accounted for 52-yards (10.4 average) at running back. The four returning receivers each had over 100-yards receiving with Meloy-Chavez (194) and Martinez (197) leading the way.
Espanola Valley Sundevils (0-3 overall)
The Sundevils searched for a new head coach prior to the season and struggled to an 0-3 season. The Sundevils also struggled on both ends of the ball only scoring 6 points and gave up 160 on the year in three games. Plenty of the struggles was a numbers game last season with limited players, a new system, and experience. The good news will be the return of several underclassmen that gained varsity experience during the Spring season. The bad news is that they could still be outsized and outnumbered.
Related
District 3-4A (Southern District) Preview
District 4-4A (Central District) Preview
