Week 2 Review: Reactions, Dogs, & Races
Grine of NMPreps
Week two of the New Mexico High School football season has the full package of questions, too soon reactions, and early surprises.
BIG THREE FROM WEEK 2
Highland Hornets (5A)
The Hornets are off to a very hot, unexpected, 2-0 start after beating Valencia 24-7 on Friday night. The Hornets entered the season on our way too early rankings as the 18th (out of 18) ranked team in 5A football. The Hornets beating Valencia (No. 8 NMPreps Week 2 5A Rankings) is one of the bigger wins of this decade (I haven't done the homework but it's a huge win). The Hornets have Cibola next week that could end this excitement but if they show well, we could potentially have a playoff team. Then I say we have a party. (La Cueva didn't 'thank' me with a 26-shirt then, could I have an 18-shirt if you make the playoffs?)
Roswell (5A) and Lovington (4A) Total 130 Points
A scoring frenzy heard around the state of New Mexico. Roswell would go on to win this SE corner game, 76-54. A handful of players would enter the end zone in the contest with Joel Renteria getting a spotlight look with over 200-yards. Roswell reached the end zone at least twice each quarter with both teams scoring a end of game like 28-26 fourth quarter. The takeaway from the game is that Lovington could have shown up a year late to homecoming; last year being picked to win it all but went 6-6. Can the offense be good enough to guide them to a deep playoff run in 2019?
Dogs, Dawgs, & we mentioned Coyotes
Artesia (5A) opened up the offense against fellow southeastern team Hobbs High School winning, 62-28. The Bulldogs looked impressive and after a lackluster opening week loss to Carlsbad this was a perfect rebound. The Las Cruces Bulldawgs (6A) made back-to-back trips to Albuquerque, this time thumping a ranked Eldorado Eagles (No. 9 NMPreps Top-25) by a score of 48-14. We should also add that it was without week one star Johnny Terraras who was suspend for team rules (via abqjournal). We already talked about Roswell Coyotes above (a Coyote is a dog, right?). Other Saturday mentions are the Albuquerque High Bulldogs (who have been barking for respect) by beating a down Miyamura 27-0. Hope Christian Huskies also with a nice rebound win, 51-0, over a visiting Espanola Valley on Saturday.
RIVALS/NMPREPS NEW MEXICO MR. FOOTBALL RACE
Aiden Trujillo, Centennial High School (2020)
Aiden Trujillo moved back to quarterback this season and has the Hawks soaring high. Could still be some what of a carryover from the performance he set in week one but played well again against West Mesa in a 55-0 win. Trujillo, tossed for 225-yards, three touchdowns, and rushed for another two.
Avante Stevens, Eunice High School (2020)
Stevens won the overall player of the week honors in week one and followed it up this week with 186 yards receiving. He added three receiving touchdowns guiding the Cardinals to a 2-0 start and extending their win streak to 27-games. Stevens now has 475-yards receiving and nine touchdowns in two weeks.
Casey Perez, Lovington High School (2020)
Yes, the Wildcats (4A) fell to the 5A defending champion Roswell Coyotes but Casey Perez helped his case for the top award in New Mexico. Perez currently ranks second in both passing (279) and rushing yards (434) through two weeks. He leads the state in total points with 42 on the year. Despite the loss to Roswell, Perez had an impressive stat line: 19/27, 307 yards, 4 TDs, 25 carries, 208 yards, 3 TDs.
Jeston Webskowski, Clovis High School (2021)
It was our first view of the Clovis running back this week in their win over visiting Los Lunas, 30-15. From the get-go we were sold on the junior running back who would go on to finish with 126-yards rushing and the first touchdown for the Cats. He also had a 2-point conversation in the game. He currently leads the state in rushing yards with 297 rushing yards.
OVERREACTION: BUY, SELL, TRADE, HOLD
Buy: Las Cruces
No, I am not ready to bet the house on the Bulldawgs to win it all but I feel this squad has more studs that predicted. We thought the Bulldawgs were going to be a threat to get back into the 'top four or more' conversation and after a dominating second quarter they are back in the limelight. Definitely, a threat to return as district champs but the contest with 2018 DC Centennial could sell more tickets than that other rivalry in Cruces (kidding but could be packed). While we are at it give me a few in the Mayfield stock after a 14-13 win over Del Valle, Texas. Not to win it all but to have certainly returned - playoff win will happen this season. Imagine three Las Cruces teams in the quarterfinals and maybe two in the semifinals.
Sell: Hobbs
The Eagles have faced a pair of really good teams in Artesia and Clovis but it is safe to say that the Eagles will likely drop out of the NMPreps Power 12 Rankings on Monday morning. They could also be on the outside of the playoffs unless they somehow pull out some district wins, like four, but that would be a quick growth for a young Eagles team.
Trade: Clovis for Rio Rancho
The Clovis Wildcats took awhile to get going on Friday night against the visiting Los Lunas Tigers but eventually would score 22 points in the second half on their way to a win. Rio Rancho will still be a player and I think any team would have had the same result against Pine Creek, Colorado. Wildly a whoa, whoa, whoa to those saying they won't be a threat. Like those saying to slow down on other teams out to a slow start (Pius) should wait. I sound like I'm contradicting my trade here as well but I'm trading their ranking spot for now. I would still say Rio Rancho could very much be a playoff team with one (maybe two) wins.
Hold: Northwest Corner
Not a lot of love for this region in the state. Again, I am not saying one of them will win a state championship this season. However, Farmington earned a criteria win, Kirtland Central offense could be wildly underrated, and Aztec may be a sleeper. Piedra Vista beat Pius on Saturday.
Buy: Bloomfield, Ruidoso and 4A Football
It has been Portales and St. Pius, then all others in 4A football. Well, I think it's now Portales, small gap, Ruidoso, Bloomfield, and Pius now. Oh yeah don't forget we are also now considering Lovington who could be VERY high on the list but waiting on some wiggle room between Ruidoso on Bloomfield. The middle tier just got bigger and this could again be an interesting classification. I will say it again the NMAA did things right (for the most part) with the classification in football and we love it...(they massively shit the bed in basketball). 4A football, Portales is darn good, we all agree, however, we have parity with the entire top ten as a possible threat - Aztec, Taos (defending champ), Kirtland Central with Grants and Silver getting some consideration as teams that could get hot and win the entire thing this season. 10 teams!
Hold: SE New Mexico and Los Lunas in 5A
If it was these four (Roswell, Artesia, Goddard) and Los Lunas or the field for the state semifinal teams, I would go with those four over the field. The next best right now are Farmington, Deming and Piedra Vista. Right now I just see too big of a margin between those two tiers.
GRINE’S PICKS FROM LAST WEEK
Went 8-2 this week with my only losses being Cleveland falling to EP Franklin and Tularosa upsetting Socorro. Overall, one game better than last week! Overall record is now 15-5.
Grine of NMPreps
Week two of the New Mexico High School football season has the full package of questions, too soon reactions, and early surprises.
BIG THREE FROM WEEK 2
Highland Hornets (5A)
The Hornets are off to a very hot, unexpected, 2-0 start after beating Valencia 24-7 on Friday night. The Hornets entered the season on our way too early rankings as the 18th (out of 18) ranked team in 5A football. The Hornets beating Valencia (No. 8 NMPreps Week 2 5A Rankings) is one of the bigger wins of this decade (I haven't done the homework but it's a huge win). The Hornets have Cibola next week that could end this excitement but if they show well, we could potentially have a playoff team. Then I say we have a party. (La Cueva didn't 'thank' me with a 26-shirt then, could I have an 18-shirt if you make the playoffs?)
Roswell (5A) and Lovington (4A) Total 130 Points
A scoring frenzy heard around the state of New Mexico. Roswell would go on to win this SE corner game, 76-54. A handful of players would enter the end zone in the contest with Joel Renteria getting a spotlight look with over 200-yards. Roswell reached the end zone at least twice each quarter with both teams scoring a end of game like 28-26 fourth quarter. The takeaway from the game is that Lovington could have shown up a year late to homecoming; last year being picked to win it all but went 6-6. Can the offense be good enough to guide them to a deep playoff run in 2019?
Dogs, Dawgs, & we mentioned Coyotes
Artesia (5A) opened up the offense against fellow southeastern team Hobbs High School winning, 62-28. The Bulldogs looked impressive and after a lackluster opening week loss to Carlsbad this was a perfect rebound. The Las Cruces Bulldawgs (6A) made back-to-back trips to Albuquerque, this time thumping a ranked Eldorado Eagles (No. 9 NMPreps Top-25) by a score of 48-14. We should also add that it was without week one star Johnny Terraras who was suspend for team rules (via abqjournal). We already talked about Roswell Coyotes above (a Coyote is a dog, right?). Other Saturday mentions are the Albuquerque High Bulldogs (who have been barking for respect) by beating a down Miyamura 27-0. Hope Christian Huskies also with a nice rebound win, 51-0, over a visiting Espanola Valley on Saturday.
RIVALS/NMPREPS NEW MEXICO MR. FOOTBALL RACE
Aiden Trujillo, Centennial High School (2020)
Aiden Trujillo moved back to quarterback this season and has the Hawks soaring high. Could still be some what of a carryover from the performance he set in week one but played well again against West Mesa in a 55-0 win. Trujillo, tossed for 225-yards, three touchdowns, and rushed for another two.
Avante Stevens, Eunice High School (2020)
Stevens won the overall player of the week honors in week one and followed it up this week with 186 yards receiving. He added three receiving touchdowns guiding the Cardinals to a 2-0 start and extending their win streak to 27-games. Stevens now has 475-yards receiving and nine touchdowns in two weeks.
Casey Perez, Lovington High School (2020)
Yes, the Wildcats (4A) fell to the 5A defending champion Roswell Coyotes but Casey Perez helped his case for the top award in New Mexico. Perez currently ranks second in both passing (279) and rushing yards (434) through two weeks. He leads the state in total points with 42 on the year. Despite the loss to Roswell, Perez had an impressive stat line: 19/27, 307 yards, 4 TDs, 25 carries, 208 yards, 3 TDs.
Jeston Webskowski, Clovis High School (2021)
It was our first view of the Clovis running back this week in their win over visiting Los Lunas, 30-15. From the get-go we were sold on the junior running back who would go on to finish with 126-yards rushing and the first touchdown for the Cats. He also had a 2-point conversation in the game. He currently leads the state in rushing yards with 297 rushing yards.
OVERREACTION: BUY, SELL, TRADE, HOLD
Buy: Las Cruces
No, I am not ready to bet the house on the Bulldawgs to win it all but I feel this squad has more studs that predicted. We thought the Bulldawgs were going to be a threat to get back into the 'top four or more' conversation and after a dominating second quarter they are back in the limelight. Definitely, a threat to return as district champs but the contest with 2018 DC Centennial could sell more tickets than that other rivalry in Cruces (kidding but could be packed). While we are at it give me a few in the Mayfield stock after a 14-13 win over Del Valle, Texas. Not to win it all but to have certainly returned - playoff win will happen this season. Imagine three Las Cruces teams in the quarterfinals and maybe two in the semifinals.
Sell: Hobbs
The Eagles have faced a pair of really good teams in Artesia and Clovis but it is safe to say that the Eagles will likely drop out of the NMPreps Power 12 Rankings on Monday morning. They could also be on the outside of the playoffs unless they somehow pull out some district wins, like four, but that would be a quick growth for a young Eagles team.
Trade: Clovis for Rio Rancho
The Clovis Wildcats took awhile to get going on Friday night against the visiting Los Lunas Tigers but eventually would score 22 points in the second half on their way to a win. Rio Rancho will still be a player and I think any team would have had the same result against Pine Creek, Colorado. Wildly a whoa, whoa, whoa to those saying they won't be a threat. Like those saying to slow down on other teams out to a slow start (Pius) should wait. I sound like I'm contradicting my trade here as well but I'm trading their ranking spot for now. I would still say Rio Rancho could very much be a playoff team with one (maybe two) wins.
Hold: Northwest Corner
Not a lot of love for this region in the state. Again, I am not saying one of them will win a state championship this season. However, Farmington earned a criteria win, Kirtland Central offense could be wildly underrated, and Aztec may be a sleeper. Piedra Vista beat Pius on Saturday.
Buy: Bloomfield, Ruidoso and 4A Football
It has been Portales and St. Pius, then all others in 4A football. Well, I think it's now Portales, small gap, Ruidoso, Bloomfield, and Pius now. Oh yeah don't forget we are also now considering Lovington who could be VERY high on the list but waiting on some wiggle room between Ruidoso on Bloomfield. The middle tier just got bigger and this could again be an interesting classification. I will say it again the NMAA did things right (for the most part) with the classification in football and we love it...(they massively shit the bed in basketball). 4A football, Portales is darn good, we all agree, however, we have parity with the entire top ten as a possible threat - Aztec, Taos (defending champ), Kirtland Central with Grants and Silver getting some consideration as teams that could get hot and win the entire thing this season. 10 teams!
Hold: SE New Mexico and Los Lunas in 5A
If it was these four (Roswell, Artesia, Goddard) and Los Lunas or the field for the state semifinal teams, I would go with those four over the field. The next best right now are Farmington, Deming and Piedra Vista. Right now I just see too big of a margin between those two tiers.
GRINE’S PICKS FROM LAST WEEK
Went 8-2 this week with my only losses being Cleveland falling to EP Franklin and Tularosa upsetting Socorro. Overall, one game better than last week! Overall record is now 15-5.
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