Week Two: What To Watch This Week
Joshua J. Grine of NMPreps.com
Normally we will break our "What To Watch" into two segments but with the holiday weekend we have a low amount of games and a jam packed top half.
The Albuquerque Metro area opens up the season on Monday night with plenty of must see action.
THE BIG FIVE
Each week we have the big five, highlighting the three must see games around the state.
No. 16 Cibola (0-0) vs No. 25 Eldorado (0-0): Opening up the season with a Top-25 match-up the Cibola Cougars and Eldorado Eagles will square off. Desmond Carpenter (2017), who has college teams looking at him, will be the one to watch for the Cougars. The Eldorado Eagles will be missing some players that are still playing football but look for Mykol Lagarde (2017) to have a coming out party.
Prediction: Cibola
Point Spread: Cibola by +6
Date: Monday, at 5:30PM (Cibola High School)
No. 3 Valley (0-0) vs La Cueva (0-0): The number three team in the state of New Mexico opens the season with unranked La Cueva on Monday night. The Valley Vikings have a top-10 player in Anthony Chavez (2018/PG) who is receiving plenty of hype this preseason. Also, look for transfer Jason Ernest (2017/6'7/F) to have an impact. The La Cueva Bears look to Amarante Rhoades and Thomas Jensen to bring the respect back to the Bears.
Prediction: Valley
Points: Valley by +11
Date: Monday, at 5:30PM (La Cueva High School)
No. 10 Grants (0-0) vs Farmington (0-0): The number one team in 4A basketball opens its season at home against unranked Farmington on Tuesday night. The Pirates led by a wealth of talent look to the return of senior wing Richie Lucero a 6'5 do everything type of player. The Pirates will also have Mike Chambers a transfer from Magdalena have his welcoming party. Matt Vail a 5'10 shooting guard is another player we are looking forward to having a big year. The Scorpions of Farmington look to a wealth of returning players of their own and Top-10 ranking in 5A basketball. Clayton Corely will lead the backcourt this season.
Prediction: Grants
Points: +3
Date: Tuesday, at 7PM (Grants High School)
No. 4 Onate (1-0) vs No. 19 Los Lunas (0-0): A match-up that will answer plenty of question on who these teams are. Two Top-25 teams that have new players and plenty of things to be excited about. The Onate Knights have one game under their belt and the excitement of Johnny McCants playing his first contest in the metro area. Los Lunas has several young players to be excited about in Hunter Wisneski (2017), Kayden Walker (2017) and Zanen Zeller (2019).
Prediction: Onate
Points: Onate +4
Date: Tuesday, at 7PM (Los Lunas High School)
No. 17 Gadsden (4-2) vs Alamogordo (2-0): Many teams are opening their season this week while the Gadsden Panthers will have their seventh game of the season. Gadsden is led by rising prospect Tomas Cano who led the Panthers in scoring several times in the opening six games. The Alamogordo Tigers are off to a 2-0 start and have been led by several players. Dee Smith had 24-points in a win over Deming last week.
Prediction: Gadsden
Points: Gadsden by +2
Date: Tuesday, at 7PM (Gadsden High School)
RAPID FIRE
Players that we have heard about, maybe long shots, but we feature five that play this week who, if they have a big year, could be candidates for the top award.
Dustin Gaddis, Sandia Prep: The 6-6 Forward will look to solidify himself among the best players in the state. The Sundevils take on West Mesa.
Noah Waide, Goddard: The sweet shooting 5-foot-9 spot up shooter hopes to have the breakout season for the Rockets. The Rockets take on Albuquerque Academy.
Jake Flaming, Moriarty: The 6-8 forward lost some hype after a big freshman season but should be back on the scene with an improved Pintos team. Moriarty takes on Manzano.
Marshall Moore, Rio Grande: We have mentioned the guard but now he gets the chance to prove if the Ravens are legit this season. Rio Grande takes on Santa Fe.
Bobby Tapia, Sandia: Tapia has a big state tournament last season and the big man for Sandia gets the spotlight but Tapia is one who could carry this squad. Sandia takes on Volcano Vista.
WEEK TWO SCORES | POST SCORES HERE
Text in Live Updates & Final Scores (505) 414-4313
Monday, November 23rd
Animas vs Hatch Valley
Atrisco Heritage Academy vs Sandia
Eldorado vs Cibola
Menaul vs Maxwell
Santa Fe Prep vs McCurdy
Valley vs La Cueva
Tuesday, November 24th
Alamogordo vs Gadsden
Albuquerque vs Rio Rancho
Aztec vs Wingate
Bosque vs East Mountain
Centennial vs Socorro (TX)
Espanola Valley vs Taos
Farmington vs Grants
Gallup vs Del Norte
Goddard vs Albuquerque Academy
Highland vs Cleveland
Mayfield vs EP Cathedral (TX)
Menaul vs ATC
Monument Valley (AZ) vs Newcomb
Moriarty vs Manzano
Onate vs Los Lunas
Raton vs Penasco
Sandia Prep vs West Mesa
Santa Fe vs Rio Grande
Shiprock vs San Juan
Socorro vs Belen
Tucumcari vs Floyd
Valencia vs Los Alamos
Volcano Vista vs Sandia
Friday, November 27th
Wingate vs West Las Vegas
Saturday, November 28th
Dulce vs Navajo Pine
Mayfield vs Roswell
Pojoaque Valley vs Socorro
Springer vs Questa
Joshua J. Grine of NMPreps.com
Normally we will break our "What To Watch" into two segments but with the holiday weekend we have a low amount of games and a jam packed top half.
The Albuquerque Metro area opens up the season on Monday night with plenty of must see action.
THE BIG FIVE
Each week we have the big five, highlighting the three must see games around the state.
No. 16 Cibola (0-0) vs No. 25 Eldorado (0-0): Opening up the season with a Top-25 match-up the Cibola Cougars and Eldorado Eagles will square off. Desmond Carpenter (2017), who has college teams looking at him, will be the one to watch for the Cougars. The Eldorado Eagles will be missing some players that are still playing football but look for Mykol Lagarde (2017) to have a coming out party.
Prediction: Cibola
Point Spread: Cibola by +6
Date: Monday, at 5:30PM (Cibola High School)
No. 3 Valley (0-0) vs La Cueva (0-0): The number three team in the state of New Mexico opens the season with unranked La Cueva on Monday night. The Valley Vikings have a top-10 player in Anthony Chavez (2018/PG) who is receiving plenty of hype this preseason. Also, look for transfer Jason Ernest (2017/6'7/F) to have an impact. The La Cueva Bears look to Amarante Rhoades and Thomas Jensen to bring the respect back to the Bears.
Prediction: Valley
Points: Valley by +11
Date: Monday, at 5:30PM (La Cueva High School)
No. 10 Grants (0-0) vs Farmington (0-0): The number one team in 4A basketball opens its season at home against unranked Farmington on Tuesday night. The Pirates led by a wealth of talent look to the return of senior wing Richie Lucero a 6'5 do everything type of player. The Pirates will also have Mike Chambers a transfer from Magdalena have his welcoming party. Matt Vail a 5'10 shooting guard is another player we are looking forward to having a big year. The Scorpions of Farmington look to a wealth of returning players of their own and Top-10 ranking in 5A basketball. Clayton Corely will lead the backcourt this season.
Prediction: Grants
Points: +3
Date: Tuesday, at 7PM (Grants High School)
No. 4 Onate (1-0) vs No. 19 Los Lunas (0-0): A match-up that will answer plenty of question on who these teams are. Two Top-25 teams that have new players and plenty of things to be excited about. The Onate Knights have one game under their belt and the excitement of Johnny McCants playing his first contest in the metro area. Los Lunas has several young players to be excited about in Hunter Wisneski (2017), Kayden Walker (2017) and Zanen Zeller (2019).
Prediction: Onate
Points: Onate +4
Date: Tuesday, at 7PM (Los Lunas High School)
No. 17 Gadsden (4-2) vs Alamogordo (2-0): Many teams are opening their season this week while the Gadsden Panthers will have their seventh game of the season. Gadsden is led by rising prospect Tomas Cano who led the Panthers in scoring several times in the opening six games. The Alamogordo Tigers are off to a 2-0 start and have been led by several players. Dee Smith had 24-points in a win over Deming last week.
Prediction: Gadsden
Points: Gadsden by +2
Date: Tuesday, at 7PM (Gadsden High School)
RAPID FIRE
- Future Bubble Talk: Gallup vs Del Norte - Gallup needs a rebound after a big loss at home to Espanola Valley. Del Norte looking to build off last season.
- Ranking Showdown: No. 8 Sandia vs No. 11 Volcano Vista - Could be or should be in the Big Five for games to watch this week. This has all the spotlight to watch.
- Region Rivals: Moriarty vs Manzano - Both unranked, both looking for big years as both head coaches enter year two of their era.
- 5A/4A Clash: No. 12 Roswell vs Mayfield - This game could be a lot more interesting this season with an already improved Mayfield Trojans team.
- Top-10 Clash: No. 2 Rio Rancho vs No. 6 Albuquerque High - The Rio Rancho trio in Snyder, Patterson and Hurt taking on the Gabe Bump led Albuquerque High Bulldogs.
Players that we have heard about, maybe long shots, but we feature five that play this week who, if they have a big year, could be candidates for the top award.
Dustin Gaddis, Sandia Prep: The 6-6 Forward will look to solidify himself among the best players in the state. The Sundevils take on West Mesa.
Noah Waide, Goddard: The sweet shooting 5-foot-9 spot up shooter hopes to have the breakout season for the Rockets. The Rockets take on Albuquerque Academy.
Jake Flaming, Moriarty: The 6-8 forward lost some hype after a big freshman season but should be back on the scene with an improved Pintos team. Moriarty takes on Manzano.
Marshall Moore, Rio Grande: We have mentioned the guard but now he gets the chance to prove if the Ravens are legit this season. Rio Grande takes on Santa Fe.
Bobby Tapia, Sandia: Tapia has a big state tournament last season and the big man for Sandia gets the spotlight but Tapia is one who could carry this squad. Sandia takes on Volcano Vista.
WEEK TWO SCORES | POST SCORES HERE
Text in Live Updates & Final Scores (505) 414-4313
Monday, November 23rd
Animas vs Hatch Valley
Atrisco Heritage Academy vs Sandia
Eldorado vs Cibola
Menaul vs Maxwell
Santa Fe Prep vs McCurdy
Valley vs La Cueva
Tuesday, November 24th
Alamogordo vs Gadsden
Albuquerque vs Rio Rancho
Aztec vs Wingate
Bosque vs East Mountain
Centennial vs Socorro (TX)
Espanola Valley vs Taos
Farmington vs Grants
Gallup vs Del Norte
Goddard vs Albuquerque Academy
Highland vs Cleveland
Mayfield vs EP Cathedral (TX)
Menaul vs ATC
Monument Valley (AZ) vs Newcomb
Moriarty vs Manzano
Onate vs Los Lunas
Raton vs Penasco
Sandia Prep vs West Mesa
Santa Fe vs Rio Grande
Shiprock vs San Juan
Socorro vs Belen
Tucumcari vs Floyd
Valencia vs Los Alamos
Volcano Vista vs Sandia
Friday, November 27th
Wingate vs West Las Vegas
Saturday, November 28th
Dulce vs Navajo Pine
Mayfield vs Roswell
Pojoaque Valley vs Socorro
Springer vs Questa
