Week 8: What To Watch 4A and Down
This week we take a look at the games around the state in 4A/3A/2A and 8-man along with 6-man football.
FAB 50 RANKINGS - Top 3 Games
No. 17 Moriarty (6-0) vs NMMI (2-5), Friday, 7pm: The top ranked team in 4A will start district play this week, their first in 4A football. Moriarty features Elijah Tapia, Nick Padilla and Dylan Tapia. NMMI will look to their running back in Fausto Barazini to look for a possible upset. NMMI, which doesn't score a lot, could struggle as the Pintos D has only given up 15 points on the season.
Prediction: Moriarty 34, NMMI 12
No. 27 Estancia (6-1) vs McCurdy (3-4), Saturday, 1pm: This Saturday afternoon contest could end early with the best team in 3A football taking on a (3-4) McCurdy team that is coming off a 52-0 loss to another Fab 50 team - Escalante. The reason to watch? Estancia running back Ezekiel Tapia who averages 226.5 yards per game. If McCurdy gets on the board look for do-everything QB Andres Martinez.
Prediction: Estancia 56, McCurdy 6
No. 27 Hatch Valley (5-1) vs Socorro (6-1), Friday, 7pm: Socorro was the surprise team that went to 6-0 to start the season. Hatch Valley, the defending state champion, is coming off a big win over Pampa, Texas. Mike Armijo Jr., has quietly rushed to 141-yards per game as one of the top 4A running backs. With Hatch you have to pick your poision if you're Socorro as they feature QB Shane Cooper Carson, one of the best receivers in the state (personally was my favorite at the Elite Combine) in Cade Hackey, and Saul Trujillo who was in the running for Player of the Week - an award for the top player in the entire state for the previous week.
Prediction: Hatch Valley 42, Socorro 18
The Rest of the Way
No. 32 Dexter (6-1) squares off with Loving on their impressive season. (Dexter 40, Loving 10)
No. 34 St. Mike's (4-2) will take on Pojoaque Valley (4-3) as they look to maintain a possible home game at state. (St. Mikes 20, Pojoaque Valley 13)
No. 38 Escalante (7-0) should move to an easy win over Navajo Pine (1-5) this week. Currently ranked as the number one team in 2A. (Escalante 50, Navajo Pine 0)
No. 40 Ruidoso (4-3) has an interesting game on their hands as Hope Christian could be a team that is better than they have performed mid-season, my upset alert watch. (Ruidoso 21, Hope 20).
No. 44 Silver (2-5) is likely the best 2-win team you will find. Hot Springs (4-3) is a tough pick as they drop a game to NMMI yet beat Socorro - they love to keep it close, low scoring and could be the spoiler to many teams. (Silver 24, Hot Springs 12)
No. 46 West Las Vegas (5-1) will easily move on to 6-1 after this week with a date with Bernalillo (0-7) who is riding an 18-game losing streak. West Las Vegas 50-0.
No. 49 Gateway Christian (6-0) takes on Tatum this week as they look to catch more fire after a few windy weeks. Gateway 42-6.
Playoff Watch
St. Mikes vs Pojoaque Valley are looking to get a home game. This game could dictate that.
Escalante owns the 1-seed in 2A but Fort Sumner at (6-0) could start the argument. Neither could afford a loss.
Trio for Uno: Estancia, Dexter and Capitan are all looking for the 1-seed. Estancia has the H-2-H over Dexter but Capitan could jump into that argument. They have Dexter on the 28th but can't slip against Loving on the 21st.
Patiently Waiting: Eunice took a step into the middle tier, outside the trio with the loss to Dexter. However, they have a redemption game on November 4th against Capitan. Talk about a tough district.
Player Spotlight - Defense
Each week we try to highlight a position or unit that has played well.
Lucas Samora - MLB - 101 total tackles.
Brandon Buttery - ILB - 94-total tackles.
Gabriel Sanchez - CB - Socorro: 89-total tackles.
Henry Roybal - ILB - Pojoaque Valley: 84-total tackles.
Price Bowen - MLB - Capitan - 82-total tackles.
Joseph Martinez - LB - Escalante - 82-total tackles.
Connor Houdek - LB - Robertson - 75-total tackles.
Randy Maynes - MLB - Cobre - 67-total tackles.
Jacob Esquivel - LB - Lordsburg - 65-total tackles.
Steve Sandoval - MLB - West Las Vegas - 62-total tackles.
This week we take a look at the games around the state in 4A/3A/2A and 8-man along with 6-man football.
FAB 50 RANKINGS - Top 3 Games
No. 17 Moriarty (6-0) vs NMMI (2-5), Friday, 7pm: The top ranked team in 4A will start district play this week, their first in 4A football. Moriarty features Elijah Tapia, Nick Padilla and Dylan Tapia. NMMI will look to their running back in Fausto Barazini to look for a possible upset. NMMI, which doesn't score a lot, could struggle as the Pintos D has only given up 15 points on the season.
Prediction: Moriarty 34, NMMI 12
No. 27 Estancia (6-1) vs McCurdy (3-4), Saturday, 1pm: This Saturday afternoon contest could end early with the best team in 3A football taking on a (3-4) McCurdy team that is coming off a 52-0 loss to another Fab 50 team - Escalante. The reason to watch? Estancia running back Ezekiel Tapia who averages 226.5 yards per game. If McCurdy gets on the board look for do-everything QB Andres Martinez.
Prediction: Estancia 56, McCurdy 6
No. 27 Hatch Valley (5-1) vs Socorro (6-1), Friday, 7pm: Socorro was the surprise team that went to 6-0 to start the season. Hatch Valley, the defending state champion, is coming off a big win over Pampa, Texas. Mike Armijo Jr., has quietly rushed to 141-yards per game as one of the top 4A running backs. With Hatch you have to pick your poision if you're Socorro as they feature QB Shane Cooper Carson, one of the best receivers in the state (personally was my favorite at the Elite Combine) in Cade Hackey, and Saul Trujillo who was in the running for Player of the Week - an award for the top player in the entire state for the previous week.
Prediction: Hatch Valley 42, Socorro 18
The Rest of the Way
No. 32 Dexter (6-1) squares off with Loving on their impressive season. (Dexter 40, Loving 10)
No. 34 St. Mike's (4-2) will take on Pojoaque Valley (4-3) as they look to maintain a possible home game at state. (St. Mikes 20, Pojoaque Valley 13)
No. 38 Escalante (7-0) should move to an easy win over Navajo Pine (1-5) this week. Currently ranked as the number one team in 2A. (Escalante 50, Navajo Pine 0)
No. 40 Ruidoso (4-3) has an interesting game on their hands as Hope Christian could be a team that is better than they have performed mid-season, my upset alert watch. (Ruidoso 21, Hope 20).
No. 44 Silver (2-5) is likely the best 2-win team you will find. Hot Springs (4-3) is a tough pick as they drop a game to NMMI yet beat Socorro - they love to keep it close, low scoring and could be the spoiler to many teams. (Silver 24, Hot Springs 12)
No. 46 West Las Vegas (5-1) will easily move on to 6-1 after this week with a date with Bernalillo (0-7) who is riding an 18-game losing streak. West Las Vegas 50-0.
No. 49 Gateway Christian (6-0) takes on Tatum this week as they look to catch more fire after a few windy weeks. Gateway 42-6.
Playoff Watch
St. Mikes vs Pojoaque Valley are looking to get a home game. This game could dictate that.
Escalante owns the 1-seed in 2A but Fort Sumner at (6-0) could start the argument. Neither could afford a loss.
Trio for Uno: Estancia, Dexter and Capitan are all looking for the 1-seed. Estancia has the H-2-H over Dexter but Capitan could jump into that argument. They have Dexter on the 28th but can't slip against Loving on the 21st.
Patiently Waiting: Eunice took a step into the middle tier, outside the trio with the loss to Dexter. However, they have a redemption game on November 4th against Capitan. Talk about a tough district.
Player Spotlight - Defense
Each week we try to highlight a position or unit that has played well.
Lucas Samora - MLB - 101 total tackles.
Brandon Buttery - ILB - 94-total tackles.
Gabriel Sanchez - CB - Socorro: 89-total tackles.
Henry Roybal - ILB - Pojoaque Valley: 84-total tackles.
Price Bowen - MLB - Capitan - 82-total tackles.
Joseph Martinez - LB - Escalante - 82-total tackles.
Connor Houdek - LB - Robertson - 75-total tackles.
Randy Maynes - MLB - Cobre - 67-total tackles.
Jacob Esquivel - LB - Lordsburg - 65-total tackles.
Steve Sandoval - MLB - West Las Vegas - 62-total tackles.
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