Feature Rise & Grine: Publisher's Week 9 Questions

[J Grine]

Rise & Grine: Publisher's Week 9 Questions​

Well, good or bad, the last Rise & Grine sparked plenty of clicks and conversation, so we’re bringing it back for the second time this season. With just three weeks left in the regular season, we dive into the key questions for Week 9 of New Mexico high school football, and we’ll also tackle some of the questions I’ve been asked via email or text. #nmpreps

Mr. Football Award: Who Are the Candidates?​

"Winning isn’t everything—it’s the only thing." – Vince Lombardi

Each year, we get the honor of naming the Rivals and NMPreps New Mexico Mr. Football Award winner. The 2024 honoree will become the 19th member of this elite class—hard to believe it’s been 19 football seasons since we launched NMPreps! I was just 18 years old when we named our first winner.

Now, back to business. Several names come to mind, though I’m sure this list will grow as we near the season's end. We rely heavily on coach nominations, and we have six NMPreps members from around the state submitting their nominations.

As of now, three standout candidates rise on my radar:

• Zaiden Davis, the two-way star QB/LB for Centennial, has been phenomenal this season.
• Cameron Dyer, La Cueva’s electric quarterback, is lighting up the competition.
• Manny Rodriguez, a dark horse from Chaparral, has put up monster numbers at DE/DT with 104 total tackles and 6 sacks. His Lobos are on the verge of a stunning playoff appearance, coming from a program that’s historically struggled.

Who do you think deserves to be in the conversation? Let me know!

Is This the Last Straw for Teams on the 6A Playoff Bubble?​

Sandia and Albuquerque are on life support. Both teams need wins this week to keep their playoff hopes alive. Sandia takes on West Mesa, while Albuquerque High faces Eldorado. Could a victory resuscitate their playoff chances?

Albuquerque has dropped two straight games, falling to Los Lunas (28-7) and suffering a heartbreaker to West Mesa (21-20), which came after a four-game win streak that had them in a playoff spot after their Sept. 20 win over Atrisco Heritage. A win this week will keep them in the mix, but it might be too little, too late.

Here’s how the District 2-6A standings look right now:

• Eldorado (2-2)
• West Mesa (2-2)
• Albuquerque (2-2)
• Sandia (2-2)

It’s crunch time. Sandia had breathed new life into their season with wins over Atrisco Heritage and Santa Fe, but last week’s narrow 14-10 loss to Eldorado almost crushed their postseason dreams. They need to upset West Mesa this week, but they still have to face Los Lunas (3-1 in district play) to close out the season. Sandia vs. Albuquerque on Oct. 25 is shaping up to be a must-watch game.

Our latest NMPreps Bracket Watch has Eldorado at No. 8, West Mesa at No. 11, and Sandia at No. 12, with Albuquerque just outside the bubble. Can Organ Mountain or Carlsbad from District 3-6A sneak into the final playoff spots? Organ Mountain has a tall order with No. 2 Centennial this week, and Carlsbad is on a bye, so we’ll dive deeper into them next week.

Can the Legacy Academy Silverbacks Win It All in 2A?​

I’ll admit, I was skeptical when the Silverbacks made the jump from 8-man to 2A football this season, especially after their shocking first-round playoff exit last year as the No. 2 seed. They were riding a seven-game win streak at the time and seemed poised for a deep run.

But here we are, and the Silverbacks have silenced the doubters. They’re sitting at 7-0 and 2-0 in District 2-2A with impressive wins over Hope Christian (21-20) and Raton (34-0). Their final regular-season test will be a road game against Santa Rosa on Nov. 1 for the district championship. Before that, they should cruise past Estancia and Tucumcari.

The question now is: Can they hang with powerhouses like Texico, Eunice, or maybe even Tularosa in the playoffs? They’ve certainly got the talent. Junior QB Lorenzo Sedillo-Urban has thrown for 1,310 yards and 26 touchdowns, while rushing for 253 yards and 8 more scores. Noah Sanchez and Adam Quesada have combined for 770 rushing yards. Adam Chavez (419 receiving yards, 8 TDs) and Bryant Scales (388 receiving yards, 8 TDs) round out a strong offensive unit.

Defensively, Xander Chavez (56 tackles, 3 sacks) and Zachary Perea (9 sacks) lead a stout unit. This team is legit. Let’s see how they fare in November. What chances do you give them at even making it to the 2A State Championship game?

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That’s it for this week’s Rise & Grine. Let me know your thoughts, and keep sending in your questions! #nmpreps #newmexicofootball

 

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