Week 12: First Round Awards
Before we begin the next step as teams are gearing up for the State quarterfinals we take a look at the top performers from last week.
Player of the Week
(1) Micah Gray, Clovis. The 5-foot-11 senior running back for the Clovis Wildcats, who has 1,648-yards on the season and 29 touchdowns, led them to a first round win. Gray, accounted for 240-rushing yards and 3-touchdowns in the win.
All-Tate Branch Team - First Round.
Running backs: New Mexico has a special group of running backs this season and they continued to live up to that hype. (2) O'maury Samuels the senior form Los Lunas rushed for 175-yards and 3-touchdowns in 6-carries in the opening round. (3) Sal Yanez the running back from Onate continues to keep his name among the top running backs in the state with 232-yards and 3-touchdowns. (4) Dee Smith, like Yanez, continues to have to prove himself and he does not disappoint. Smith rushed for 130-yards and 2-touchdowns in the opener.
In 4A football we take a look at one running back who could win the 4A running back of the year and we have one who could take home newcomer of the year. (5) Saul Trujillo of Hatch Valley has put up some very impressive numbers this season he continued that with 279-yards and 3-touchdowns in the opener. (6) Isaiah Otero of Ruidoso has filled in for one of the top running backs in New Mexico and poured in 264-yards and 4-touchdowns in the opener.
Quarterbacks: One name that hasn't faded and continues to play very well is (7) Kyle Hooper of Alamogordo. Hooper, who is being recruited to play college football, had 289-yards, 3-touchdowns in the opening round win over Del Norte (45-14). A name we know, a name we haven't heard much about this season as the team has struggled, (8) Torry Locklin had over 200-yards passing in the opening round.
Special Teams: (9) Donovan Gonzalez of Farmington took the opening kick 95-yards as Farmington had the upset over Aztec in the opening round. (10) Brett Money, of Alamogordo is the kicker we know about he played well again hitting a 27-yard FG.
Newbies: (11) Jacob Luna of Los Lunas had a 65-yard run in the win over Kirtland Central. Another name not mentioned this season is (12) Steven Gay of Mayfield who had a pass over 70-yards and caught one of his own from 28-yards out. Continuing our section of names not mentioned or little mentioned is a wide receiver who had 119-yards and a touchdown in (13) Alex Bates from Ruidoso.
Last Show: (14) Ryan McCarty of Taos had a few touchdowns in the opening loss, one a 48-yard TD catch. (15) Fausto Barazini of NMMI was impressive in the opening half of the loss to Hatch. He had a 53-yard TD on the night.
Under the Radar: Two names who have played well but somehow fly under the radar this season is Ruidoso quarterback (16) Brennam Stewart, he passed for 187-yards and 2-touchdowns. The other is (17) Shane Cooper of Hatch Valley who had 161-yards.
Team of the Week: (18) Miyamura Patriots had an impressive week and we know why, if you've lived under a rock, they beat 6-seed Goddard 26-24 in the opening round in what could be considered the biggest upset in the state playoff history.
Coach of the Week: (19) WH Shank, Miyamura. How could we not mention the coach who led his team to one of the biggest upsets in the state tournament.
Called It: The final section is one that I will gloat for a bit. I picked (20) Lordsburg to win 2A at the start of the season and again when they were the 3-seed in the bracket. The only reason I gloat is for the fact that I am wrong more than I am right (duh) but secondly because I had an e-mail that said I was nuts if I thought Fort Sumner would lose. Kudos to a great program!
Top Performers - First Round
Micah Gray - Clovis - 240-yards rushing, 3 touchdowns
Kyle Hooper - Alamogordo - 19/28 289 yds 3 TDs, 10 carries 91 yds 1 TD.
O'maury Samuels - Los Lunas - 175-yards rushing, 3 touchdowns.
Torry Locklin - Mayfield - Over 200-yards passing, 2 touchdowns.
Dee Smith - Alamogordo - 130-yards rushing, 2 touchdowns.
Devon Quiroz - Goddard - 170-yards rushing, 2 touchdowns.
David Johnson (Jr) - Alamogordo - WR - 9 catches 113 yds 2 TDS
Chamar Norman (JR) - Alamogordo -WR - 2 catches 70 yds 1 TD
Rhett Munoz (Sr) - Alamogordo -LB- 4 tackles
Alex Alton (Sr) S - Alamogordo -4 tackles
Brett Money (Fr) - Alamogordo -K - 27 yd field goal, 6 for 6 PATs, 2 Touchbacks, 1 onside kick we got back. (9 points)
Sal Yanez - Onate - 232-yards, 3-touchdowns.
Matt Young - Onate - 8-tackles, 1 sack.
Forest McKee - Onate - 14-tackles, 2-int, 1-sack, 2 rushing touchdowns.
Zack Puricelli - Onate - pick 6.
Seth Lopez - Clovis - 4-carries, 56-yards.
Jonathan Avila - Clovis - 12 tackles.
Steven Gay - Mayfield - Caught a 28-yard TD, passed for a 71-yard TD.
Tomas Gallegos- Clovis Safety - 5 solo tackles, 7 assisted tackles, 12 total, 2 PBU
Saul Trujillo, - Hatch - RB/CB 22 rushes 279 yards 3 TDs, 58 yards receiving 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 PBU, 6 tackles
Shane Cooper Carson, - Hatch -QB/LB 21 rushes 161 yards 3 TDs, 121 yards passing 1 TD
Isaiah Otero - Ruidoso - rushed for 264 yards and 4 TD's
QB Brennam Stewart -Ruidoso - threw for 187 yards 2 TD's
WR Alex Bates - Ruidoso - 4 rec 119 yards TD
Devon Quirez - Goddard - 170-yards rushing.
Before we begin the next step as teams are gearing up for the State quarterfinals we take a look at the top performers from last week.
Player of the Week
(1) Micah Gray, Clovis. The 5-foot-11 senior running back for the Clovis Wildcats, who has 1,648-yards on the season and 29 touchdowns, led them to a first round win. Gray, accounted for 240-rushing yards and 3-touchdowns in the win.
All-Tate Branch Team - First Round.
Running backs: New Mexico has a special group of running backs this season and they continued to live up to that hype. (2) O'maury Samuels the senior form Los Lunas rushed for 175-yards and 3-touchdowns in 6-carries in the opening round. (3) Sal Yanez the running back from Onate continues to keep his name among the top running backs in the state with 232-yards and 3-touchdowns. (4) Dee Smith, like Yanez, continues to have to prove himself and he does not disappoint. Smith rushed for 130-yards and 2-touchdowns in the opener.
In 4A football we take a look at one running back who could win the 4A running back of the year and we have one who could take home newcomer of the year. (5) Saul Trujillo of Hatch Valley has put up some very impressive numbers this season he continued that with 279-yards and 3-touchdowns in the opener. (6) Isaiah Otero of Ruidoso has filled in for one of the top running backs in New Mexico and poured in 264-yards and 4-touchdowns in the opener.
Quarterbacks: One name that hasn't faded and continues to play very well is (7) Kyle Hooper of Alamogordo. Hooper, who is being recruited to play college football, had 289-yards, 3-touchdowns in the opening round win over Del Norte (45-14). A name we know, a name we haven't heard much about this season as the team has struggled, (8) Torry Locklin had over 200-yards passing in the opening round.
Special Teams: (9) Donovan Gonzalez of Farmington took the opening kick 95-yards as Farmington had the upset over Aztec in the opening round. (10) Brett Money, of Alamogordo is the kicker we know about he played well again hitting a 27-yard FG.
Newbies: (11) Jacob Luna of Los Lunas had a 65-yard run in the win over Kirtland Central. Another name not mentioned this season is (12) Steven Gay of Mayfield who had a pass over 70-yards and caught one of his own from 28-yards out. Continuing our section of names not mentioned or little mentioned is a wide receiver who had 119-yards and a touchdown in (13) Alex Bates from Ruidoso.
Last Show: (14) Ryan McCarty of Taos had a few touchdowns in the opening loss, one a 48-yard TD catch. (15) Fausto Barazini of NMMI was impressive in the opening half of the loss to Hatch. He had a 53-yard TD on the night.
Under the Radar: Two names who have played well but somehow fly under the radar this season is Ruidoso quarterback (16) Brennam Stewart, he passed for 187-yards and 2-touchdowns. The other is (17) Shane Cooper of Hatch Valley who had 161-yards.
Team of the Week: (18) Miyamura Patriots had an impressive week and we know why, if you've lived under a rock, they beat 6-seed Goddard 26-24 in the opening round in what could be considered the biggest upset in the state playoff history.
Coach of the Week: (19) WH Shank, Miyamura. How could we not mention the coach who led his team to one of the biggest upsets in the state tournament.
Called It: The final section is one that I will gloat for a bit. I picked (20) Lordsburg to win 2A at the start of the season and again when they were the 3-seed in the bracket. The only reason I gloat is for the fact that I am wrong more than I am right (duh) but secondly because I had an e-mail that said I was nuts if I thought Fort Sumner would lose. Kudos to a great program!
Top Performers - First Round
Micah Gray - Clovis - 240-yards rushing, 3 touchdowns
Kyle Hooper - Alamogordo - 19/28 289 yds 3 TDs, 10 carries 91 yds 1 TD.
O'maury Samuels - Los Lunas - 175-yards rushing, 3 touchdowns.
Torry Locklin - Mayfield - Over 200-yards passing, 2 touchdowns.
Dee Smith - Alamogordo - 130-yards rushing, 2 touchdowns.
Devon Quiroz - Goddard - 170-yards rushing, 2 touchdowns.
David Johnson (Jr) - Alamogordo - WR - 9 catches 113 yds 2 TDS
Chamar Norman (JR) - Alamogordo -WR - 2 catches 70 yds 1 TD
Rhett Munoz (Sr) - Alamogordo -LB- 4 tackles
Alex Alton (Sr) S - Alamogordo -4 tackles
Brett Money (Fr) - Alamogordo -K - 27 yd field goal, 6 for 6 PATs, 2 Touchbacks, 1 onside kick we got back. (9 points)
Sal Yanez - Onate - 232-yards, 3-touchdowns.
Matt Young - Onate - 8-tackles, 1 sack.
Forest McKee - Onate - 14-tackles, 2-int, 1-sack, 2 rushing touchdowns.
Zack Puricelli - Onate - pick 6.
Seth Lopez - Clovis - 4-carries, 56-yards.
Jonathan Avila - Clovis - 12 tackles.
Steven Gay - Mayfield - Caught a 28-yard TD, passed for a 71-yard TD.
Tomas Gallegos- Clovis Safety - 5 solo tackles, 7 assisted tackles, 12 total, 2 PBU
Saul Trujillo, - Hatch - RB/CB 22 rushes 279 yards 3 TDs, 58 yards receiving 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 PBU, 6 tackles
Shane Cooper Carson, - Hatch -QB/LB 21 rushes 161 yards 3 TDs, 121 yards passing 1 TD
Isaiah Otero - Ruidoso - rushed for 264 yards and 4 TD's
QB Brennam Stewart -Ruidoso - threw for 187 yards 2 TD's
WR Alex Bates - Ruidoso - 4 rec 119 yards TD
Devon Quirez - Goddard - 170-yards rushing.
