Five Top-25 Questions for Week Five
Joshua J Grine
As we quickly approach week five of the 2016 football season we look at questions regarding teams heading into the weekend games.
1. No. 1 Rio Rancho Rams (4-0) - Keeping The Jets On High
The Rams are dominating opponents on defense. The Rams are dominating on offense. They are averaging 37.25 points per game. On defense they have only allowed 31 points, once in double figures a last minute touchdown against Onate. Can they continue this stretch an entire season? Up this week is Manzano who averages 29 points per game and coming off a shutout win. Against Top-10 Centennial they gave up 28 points so answer is likely but Manzano does have several prospects that could go off and have been known to live up to being the underdog. Two running backs over 100-yards and a QB that has rushing yards along with 257-yards passing in three games.
2. No. 2 Cleveland Storm (4-0) - Can The Offensive Keep Them Winning?
This question was brought up from a poster and has the right tune for this feature. The Rams are 7th for points given up this season. All six teams above are under .500, winless or Eldorado at (2-2). The Storm are undefeated but how much can they depend on their offense to outscore opponents alone without much stops? Next opponent up is the No. 4 Artesia Bulldogs who are averaging 46 points per game this season and have a quarterback who threw for 5-touchdowns last week. If they get into a shootout this weekend this could get intriguing, especially on the road in what could be one of the best environments this weekend for New Mexico High School football.
3. No. 21 Moriarty (4-0) - Avoiding A Let Down
Moriarty has walked to a 4-0 start this season with outcomes of 47-0, 41-0, and 55-8 along with a 20-7 win over a Fab 50 team (the only one on the schedule to date). Enter in a bruised Capital Jaguars team, ranked in the Fab 50 (#33) who is coming off a recent loss that has hurt their season. However, a question on the opposing side could be the Jaguars being able to recover from that loss. This could be the game that could rejuvenate their season and Moriarty can't afford any complacency. Capital has the chance to match toe to toe with Moriarty as both have solid running backs in Elijah Tapia (Moriarty) and Jesus Vargas (Capital). This could be considered one of the more underrated games on the weekend or Moriarty will prove they shouldn't be questioned.
4. No. 20 Roswell Coyotes (3-1) - Quick Recovery
The Roswell Coyotes started to gain momentum with a quick 3-0 start beating opponents 54-6, 58-0 and a 42-37 close game against 6A opponent. However, when they faced No. 15 Los Lunas last week they fell 49-14. In fact, two straight weeks they have allowed for the opposing quarterback to pass for a lot of yards and gave up 49-points last week. They only mustered 14-points in the loss as well well under their 42 points per game. Enter in Week Five opponent with the No. 18 Belen Eagles (4-0) who are scoring an average of 47.5 points per game. They could either redeem their place among the top teams in 5A or fall deeper into the middle tier teams.
5. No. 19 Carlsbad Cavemen (2-2) - A Statement Win
If the Cavemen ever needed a statement win it was this weekend and what better time than facing a Top-10 ranked opponent that has its own set of questions. The Cavemen, who are on a 2-game win streak, take on the No. 6 ranked Mayfield Trojans (2-2) who are coming off an upset loss last week to Volcano vista. The Cavemen have played better on offense in the past two weeks averaging 32.5 points per game. However, against Top-10 opponents (Artesia and Clovis) they only were able to average 14 points per game - both were losses. Can they score points against a Top-10 opponent? The good news is Mayfield has allowed 30 points per game this season and hasn't been stellar on offense minus a 42-point second half outburst against Eldorado.
Joshua J Grine
As we quickly approach week five of the 2016 football season we look at questions regarding teams heading into the weekend games.
1. No. 1 Rio Rancho Rams (4-0) - Keeping The Jets On High
The Rams are dominating opponents on defense. The Rams are dominating on offense. They are averaging 37.25 points per game. On defense they have only allowed 31 points, once in double figures a last minute touchdown against Onate. Can they continue this stretch an entire season? Up this week is Manzano who averages 29 points per game and coming off a shutout win. Against Top-10 Centennial they gave up 28 points so answer is likely but Manzano does have several prospects that could go off and have been known to live up to being the underdog. Two running backs over 100-yards and a QB that has rushing yards along with 257-yards passing in three games.
2. No. 2 Cleveland Storm (4-0) - Can The Offensive Keep Them Winning?
This question was brought up from a poster and has the right tune for this feature. The Rams are 7th for points given up this season. All six teams above are under .500, winless or Eldorado at (2-2). The Storm are undefeated but how much can they depend on their offense to outscore opponents alone without much stops? Next opponent up is the No. 4 Artesia Bulldogs who are averaging 46 points per game this season and have a quarterback who threw for 5-touchdowns last week. If they get into a shootout this weekend this could get intriguing, especially on the road in what could be one of the best environments this weekend for New Mexico High School football.
3. No. 21 Moriarty (4-0) - Avoiding A Let Down
Moriarty has walked to a 4-0 start this season with outcomes of 47-0, 41-0, and 55-8 along with a 20-7 win over a Fab 50 team (the only one on the schedule to date). Enter in a bruised Capital Jaguars team, ranked in the Fab 50 (#33) who is coming off a recent loss that has hurt their season. However, a question on the opposing side could be the Jaguars being able to recover from that loss. This could be the game that could rejuvenate their season and Moriarty can't afford any complacency. Capital has the chance to match toe to toe with Moriarty as both have solid running backs in Elijah Tapia (Moriarty) and Jesus Vargas (Capital). This could be considered one of the more underrated games on the weekend or Moriarty will prove they shouldn't be questioned.
4. No. 20 Roswell Coyotes (3-1) - Quick Recovery
The Roswell Coyotes started to gain momentum with a quick 3-0 start beating opponents 54-6, 58-0 and a 42-37 close game against 6A opponent. However, when they faced No. 15 Los Lunas last week they fell 49-14. In fact, two straight weeks they have allowed for the opposing quarterback to pass for a lot of yards and gave up 49-points last week. They only mustered 14-points in the loss as well well under their 42 points per game. Enter in Week Five opponent with the No. 18 Belen Eagles (4-0) who are scoring an average of 47.5 points per game. They could either redeem their place among the top teams in 5A or fall deeper into the middle tier teams.
5. No. 19 Carlsbad Cavemen (2-2) - A Statement Win
If the Cavemen ever needed a statement win it was this weekend and what better time than facing a Top-10 ranked opponent that has its own set of questions. The Cavemen, who are on a 2-game win streak, take on the No. 6 ranked Mayfield Trojans (2-2) who are coming off an upset loss last week to Volcano vista. The Cavemen have played better on offense in the past two weeks averaging 32.5 points per game. However, against Top-10 opponents (Artesia and Clovis) they only were able to average 14 points per game - both were losses. Can they score points against a Top-10 opponent? The good news is Mayfield has allowed 30 points per game this season and hasn't been stellar on offense minus a 42-point second half outburst against Eldorado.
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