Top 5 Running Backs In Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico

Photo: Josiah Donat Prep Redzone

Scott Hood January 8, 2021 @ 05:47 PM

We’re less than a month away from the start of football practice for the COVID-forced spring season. We recently presented the top 5 running backs in the Albuquerque Metro Area. Now we’ll break down the position in the Las Cruces/Southern New Mexico region. Sean Hays Sean Hays 6'0" | 205 lbs | RB Alamogordo | 2021 State NM , Alamaogordo: Incredibly, the top running back in southern New Mexico still has no college offers. He’s 6-foot-1, 218 pounds, runs the 40 in 4.7 seconds and benches 305 pounds. The Tigers won a playoff game and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 5A playoffs last December, and Hays was a big reason why, rushing for 1,844 yards (just 8 behind Padilla) and 15 touchdowns. He rushed for 100+ yards in 10 of his 11 games. Hays had by far the most carries (257) of any running back in 5A last season. Expect Alamogordo to lean on Hays again. Mando Villescas Mando Villescas 5'5" | 165 lbs | RB Las Cruces | 2021 State NM , Las Cruces: The top Bulldawg on the ground for Las Cruces last season was Johnny Terrazas, who ran for 1,344 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior in 2019. Making the most of his limited opportunities was the speedy Villescas, who averaged an impressive 10.6 yards per carry on the season and burst onto the scene in a Week 2 win over Eldorado when he rushed for 208 yards and two scores. Now it’s Villescas’ turn at one of the most scrutinized jobs in southern New Mexico – No. 1 RB for Las Cruces. Bracxton Hall, Ruidoso: An uncommon first name and an uncommon talent. A key part of one of Class 4A’s best offensive combinations, Hall rushed for 635 yards on 151 carries (12.6 per game) in 12 games last season. Now that TE has decided to enroll early at New Mexico State, more responsibility will fall on Hall as Ruidoso improve on a 5-7 record and quarterfinal loss to Bloomfield in last fall’s 4A playoffs. Adrian Rodriguez Adrian Rodriguez 5'9" | RB Santa Teresa | 2022 State NM , Santa Teresa: The Desert Warriors (one of the best nicknames in New Mexico) won their first five games in 2019 and Rodriguez, a rising junior, led the way, finishing the season with 1,028 rushing yards. He’s one of New Mexico’s top 2022 prospects and another big year could generate interest on the recruiting trail. Jordan Armijo, Socorro: The Warriors went 11-2 and reached the 3A state championship game last season on the strength of a productive ground game (5 rushers with 280+ yards) led by Armijo, who totaled 588 yards and five touchdowns in 71 carries, an average of 8.3 yards per carry. Armijo is a junior, so he has two more years of HS football ahead of him. Honorable Mention: (Goddard); Joel Renteria (Roswell); (Centennial); (Mayfield); Jesus Gonzalez (Hatch Valley); Richard Contreras (Dexter); Cameron Zamora (Hot Springs); Emilio Gonzales (Tularosa).